Prism
by Foxbear
Summary: Of all the humans on Earth the commander of the Cybertronians has long counted the youth Jackson Darby his closest ally. When the raven haired organic appears to go suddenly mad the fragile peace that the mech has begun to achieve, both within his own spark and with his allies is threatened.
1. Refraction

**Refraction**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

** Chapter 1**

Through the inky blackness of space floated a ring of stone and science. No illumination displayed its massive proportions, no icons or symbols decorated it or declared the allegiances of whatever creatures had created the device. Like a faithful and obedient pet it followed in the orbit of a gleaming blue orb. That the majority of the inhabitants of the planet called Earth were unaware of its existence was a point of small pride and large relief to the device's creators. They were creatures to whom secrecy and concealment was a birthright; ingrained in their every fiber. However the nature of their creation was not always silence and darkness.

With no warning the gears embedded in the stone began to shift. A brilliant green light proceeded to swirl and pulse in the center ring, spilling outward and releasing an ebony black form before disappearing and leaving the cold of space undisturbed. Blue light flared as the powerfully built fighter jet altered its course to turn back towards the now lightless space-bridge that had carried it here. It seemed to pause and hover for a moment before it split apart and reformed.

A tall humanoid mech now landed on the outer surface of the transport hub. Power crackled between massive peds and the metal of the device as he landed. With long east strides only partially hampered by the magnetic lock to the surface he moved gracefully forward. Had there been light one might have marveled at the breadth of his shoulders, rising up in harsh angles to triple points. His wide chest flexed as he bent to examine meteor scouring on the ring, though his own surface was more pockmarked than the one he surveyed,

Two glowing red points of light swept around the ring; quickly analyzing it for any damage. Though the priority the mech's subroutines placed on the task was high it occupied very little of his processor. His was not the most organized of processors, not by far, (_a recall program attempted to pull up a memory file, but the heavy emotional subfiles attached to it quickly dragged it back down into the depths of the ancient processor, allowing only a few tangles of code to escape; a flash of red armor, a warm smile) _. Suppressing such thoughts was a long engrained habit. A survival mechanism he had developed over eons of war. Another significant portion of the mech's processor was devoted to the data he had gathered while away from Sol system. File after file of information crammed into his storage banks waiting to be analyzed.

But surging ever to the surface was something else entirely. The mech had given up attempting to suppress the thought and emotional subroutines that rolled to life whenever the topic arose. Right now he had one urgent mission after another to complete. The information he carried could, no would, turn the course of this eons long war. It would finally give his troops the power they needed to storm their enemies and crush them under their peds. A rolling rumble of expectation originated at the mech's core and spread out to diffuse into space. But there was something he wanted, _the thought was interrupted as his organization bumped the priority up in obedience to his spark_, there was an action he needed to complete first.

A small logical portion of his processor, set aside deliberately for these moments of what his second-in-command termed madness, sent a ping to his waiting warship. The _Arc_ floated in the dark shadows of the asteroid belt; presenting a deceptively peaceful image to any who might have seen the heavily armored ship. Like her master she ran silent unless there was a battle to join. At her helm a tall purple mech noted their leader's return and let a small noise of dissatisfaction escape him when the rest of the code spilled in. Nevertheless moments later the ship resounded with the mech's emotionally flat announcement of their lord's return. A wave of anticipation swept through the ranks of troops only slightly dampened by the announcement that the supreme commander would be detouring to Earth first.

In the medical bay the amber and white healer paused to smile in approval at the announcement. He for one was pleased the battle hardened warrior was taking the time to indulge these needs of the spark. For far too long he had watched helplessly as the larger mech had pushed himself to near offlineing in the quest for victory.

He welcomed the burn of the atmosphere. The ex-gladiator had despised the dihydrogen monoxide rich gasses when they had first made landing on this planet, almost as much as he had despised the small organics who inhabited the surface. Now however he reveled in the feeling of the steam and fire burning away the accumulated grime of nearly a year away. As for the humans; the subroutines responsible for compiling time data sent a measurement to his central processor. It was marked with a reference to a particular Earthling, making the jet surge faster through the thickening atmosphere.

Soon his sensors detected his goal. A tall formation of the native minerals topped with various man-made structures sat in a relatively flat area surrounded by mountains. The planet was turning this section away from the sun and the light refracting through the atmosphere lit the stone a warm orange. The mech would have smiled in satisfaction if he could have in this form. His target was standing alone on top of the base the humans had granted their Cybertronian allies.

A wing of jets appeared on his sensors and moved to intercept him radioing out challenges. Smug satisfaction took up a portion of the mech's mind for a moment. These human pilots of course knew who he was by now, and they still challenged him. Firing his thrusters the mech shot through the formation before they could react, his wake alone knocked the smaller fighters to the side and he let out a chuckle at the curses and shouts hurled in his direction. They would not catch up with him now and his prey was still oblivious to his presence. He was traveling far faster than the speed of sound, the raven haired human would have no time to react.

The warrior took one clear image of the young man. The youth, finally growing into his lanky body, leaned lightly onto the safety rail. His blue grey eyes were closed and his head was thrown back, face relaxed. He wore a form fitting black flight suit edged with red seams. Fierce emotions rose up in the warrior at the sight. But he brushed them aside. His next actions would require perfect execution if his target was to survive.

Combat protocols honed by untold millennia of battle assumed precedence over his higher processor functions. He braked hard enough the atmosphere tore at his wings painfully but a gladiator lived with pain. In a single smooth movement he transformed, letting the turbulence roll him upside down. Long black talons reached out and snatched the human from the roof and the two beings tumbled together over the edge of the butte. A very small segment of the Warlord's processor noted the alarms going off in the base and the signals of the mechs scrambling to challenge him but paid them no heed. He had what he had come for.

By the time the Cybertronian had transformed around the young man his ebony mesh had almost grazed the sand of the desert floor. By the time he had ascended to the darkening sky the human had regained his breath enough to emit a scream. A rumble of amusement filled the cockpit and the massive mech began to twist and dive earning further startled cries from his passenger. Only when he sensed that the stress of the erratic flight was over taxing the organic's systems did he slow to a stop and transform.

The mech landed in a graceful crouch on a cliff face and stood to his full stature. The gleaming gold insignia on his chest plates caught the last ray of sunlight and then the shadows of night swallowed the black form. He held the organic in one cupped hand while covering him with his other. The double beat of the human's heart filled the warrior's senses and he waited patiently until it had slowed to a reasonable rate before drawing his servos up to his faceplates. He could feel the emotions rolling off the youth and reveled in them. Slowly he opened his hands wanting to savor what he knew he would see in those blue-grey eyes.

There.

Joy and affection radiated out of the human's face as the organic sprang to his feet and placed his forehead between the Warlord's optic ridges, pressing skin against warm mesh.

"Welcome home my Lord Protector Megatron."


	2. Distortion

**Prism 2**

The Unified Alliance Defense base was humming with activity as the Warlord strode into the planetary headquarters. A human voice called out his designation and their translation of his rank and for a moment every eye and optic turned to him as they saluted the Supreme Commander of the Alliance. Ruby red optics surveyed the scene with satisfaction as, for the most part, the humans and mechs immediately returned to their tasks. He enjoyed this lack of pomp and fanfare that the human military displayed. Skyfire had theorized it was related to their short lifespan, but whatever the reason the former gladiator was grateful.

There were however more than enough annoying traits in the population to make up for that one superior cultural aspect. The warlord gave a near noiseless growl as a flock of humans in stiff black suits swarmed towards him. He heard a small chuckle from the figure perched on his shoulder and felt a wave of calm reassurance wash through him, spreading out from where a hand stroked his mandible line. The Cybertronian reached up and returned the caress with a single servo.

"Megatron!" a voice cut stridently through the noise of the silo.

The Supreme Commander of the Alliance Defense Force winced and gave a long exvent as the flock of suits stalled and looked nervously in the direction the voice had come from. The head of the human portion of the defense force was perhaps a faction of a hundredth of his weight, carried no weapons in the base, and had already peaked physically. Somehow the dark meshed mortal had never figured out how dangerous it was to challenge him. Then again, mused the warrior in amusement, as the crowd of bureaucrats scattered before the man, perhaps he did.

"General Fowler," Megatron rumbled in greeting.

"Generally Louder," Jackson whispered and his guardian could hear the grin in his words.

The Cybertronian sent a wave of electricity along his mesh causing the youth to jump and mutter an apology. Though the mech could not quite find it within his spark to send a full force punishment. The assessment was correct. The General appeared to have two settings; full bore ahead and incapacitated.

"What is the meaning of this Megatron?" the human on the catwalk demanded waving an open field data pad at the mech.

"It would appear to be my flight patterns upon reentry," the warrior replied with only a slight note of annoyance to his credit.

"And where in this mess of rabbit trail vectors is your decontamination point?"

The human's point struck the ex-gladiator and he did feel a slight twinge of annoyance with himself. He had been so set on getting home to Jackson that he had near completely suppressed his cleansing protocols. Well did the mech know the dangers of introducing a foreign element into a planets ecosystem balance; granted that he decided to demonstrate restraint in his reply. With a snarl Megatron snatched the man up and brought him to optic level, as always silently amused at the way Fowler concealed his fear responses.

"The finest decontamination site is at this location," he rumbled low and dangerously; it would not do to let these organics forget who he was, what he was. "I completed more than the required decon burn in the upper atmosphere. Now I will proceed with a decon bath. That will be sufficient Lieutenant General?"

Though his voice rose at the end there was no doubt in the minds of anyone present that it was not a question.

"Quite," the human replied with a grunt as the mech dropped him.

"In that case, since you are so very concerned for my well being, you may assist with the process."

Megatron spun on his peds and strode back to the wash racks the humans had put together for them. The flock of bureaucrats had completely scattered. He mused that in his current mood that was good for them. It took only moments to arrive at the private wash bay that had been modified specifically for his use. Fowler jogged a bit behind. The Warlord noted with some amusement that the older human was not panting for breath nearly as much as he had previously and appeared to have shifted mass centers.

*I take it the good general has been training with you?* he sent to Jackson on their private comm.

The youth glanced at Fowler with a wide grin as he leapt off of the mech's shoulder guard and onto a handy catwalk.

*You got it,* he replied. *I think he can't stand the thought of losing to "Little Jackie".*

*You have already repeatedly bested him in numerous feats of mental skill. One would think he would be used to it.*

The young human blushed at the praise and turned quickly to strip out of the flight suit leaving only his undergarments on. Megatron shook his helm in exasperation. As much as he tried to instill a healthy sense of pride in the boy he still displayed more humility than most humans with half his skills and accomplishments. Even his physical form was excellent for a human. The Cybertronian had taken the time to learn what constituted a healthy human body for the sole purpose of maintaining the health of his charge. Despite the myriad of scars that covered the human's skin he was a perfect specimen of his race; tall and well muscled for his age. The mechs memory programs pulled up an appropriate comparison and this time he allowed the bittersweet rush of emotion that accompanied it.

Every day the human seemed to grow more like Orion. A being the organic had never met, and yet the Warlord could not deny the similarities. Jackson was even skilled at paperwork, taking over much of his godfather's workload long before it would have normally been allowed. He certainly shared the archivist's love of order, Megatron noted with amusement as the youth paused to rearrange a set of brushes that had fallen into disarray. He turned and stepped into the stall as Fowler finally caught up to Jackson and triggered the spray.

The hot water and hash chemicals washed over his frame in powerful waves. The mech loosened his plating and allowed it to seep into the crevices that would have been clamped down protectively during his reentry sequence. The experience was not unpleasant but it was only something that he patiently endured. What came next he actually enjoyed. It was only perhaps a very few years ago as this planet measured time that he would have been repulsed by the mere thought of organics touching his mesh, much less granting them access to his sensitive joints, but when he stepped out of the shower stall and Jackson leapt onto his shoulder guard once more it was all the Warlord could do to keep from growling in pleasure.

Many of his warriors had since discovered the benefits of having a human assist in the decontamination process. Their little hands with their sensitive tactile sensors were extremely well suited for cleansing the small tight joints on Cybertronian armor. However no other could claim to have as skilled and attentive a human as he did. Jackson Darby ran the brushes over and through the clogged joints, clicking reprovingly at accumulated matter, and muttering out scolding remarks about how Megatron needed to take care of himself better. The warrior let the human go on, enjoying the sound of his voice if ignoring the content. Even the less pleasant attentions of Fowler produced a clean that was quickly silencing the mesh sensors that had been pinging alerts to his central processor for some time now. When the two humans met at his knee joints they clasped hands in some ritual of congratulation and retreated back up the catwalks. The warrior stepped back into the stall and let the final rinse roll over him.

*Lord Protector Megatron?*

The mech arched an optic ridge and let his faceplates twitch in amusement. The comm. link didn't allow for emotional intonation but Jackson only used his proper title in private when he was going to ask for something he was afraid might be refused and considering the mortal had waited until he was in a good mood it was most likely something big. Megatron hesitated just long enough that the human's heart began to accelerate.

*Yes Jackson Darby?*

*Ah, remember how you said I should expand my grasp of science?*

*Indeed I did, and I trust you were not idle in my year's absence.*

"No, not at all," the human hastened to assure him, switching to speaking when the big mech strode back into range. "I have been helping Preceptor with his research and Shockwave with his weapons development."

"Good."

"And I'm supposed to test out the new PMT system for them today, so it'd be great if you could come and watch."

The mech slowly turned and ran an appraising optic over the human. The last string of words had come out in a rush and there was a pleading look in the blue-grey eyes. The human did not expect to gain his guardian's approval for this venture. Megatron bent so he was eye to optic with his charge.

"And what, pray tell, is a PMT system?" he growled low. "I do not recall authorizing the development of any such device."

"It was the next stage in ground bridge tech," Fowler supplied in a neutral tone, the mech sensed he was no more pleased than the Cybertronian would be. "The Personnel Mass Transporter. In effect it creates a localized groundbridge around one being and pulls them back to a central location from wherever they are. It would serve as an emergency life saving device. So far it has passed all the live animal trials."

"That technology was tested on Cybertron and found untenable I believe," Megatron stated to the General but kept his gaze locked on the younger human, he had an idea where this was going now and did not appreciate it.

"Yea, 'ol Cyclops mentioned that but said that was because of the spark resonance or something and didn't apply to humans."

Megatron locked his optics on his charge and let out a low growl.

"There is danger involved."

It wasn't a question and the human knew it but blue-grey eyes flashed and he stood a little straighter.

"I am a warrior Megatron," the youth declared boldly. "There will always be danger in my life."

A small pull of pain seized the Warlord's spark at the truth of the statement but he didn't let it show on his faceplates as the human continued.

"This tech could very well give us a huge advantage when the second wave finally reaches Earth," the human was standing tall now, illustrating his points with hand gestures and again Megatron was powerfully reminded of another. "The sooner it is developed the better. It could save countless lives, it could save my life one day!"

Megatron leaned forward silencing the youth.

"And it falls to you to test this possible dangerous device?"

"Who was it who taught me that I should never use my social position to get special treatment?" he shot back earning anther snarl. "Please Megatron. I want to do this."

And there was the secret that the Warlord had strived so hard to keep these past twelve Sol years. All the logic and debating skill Jackson displayed were in the end of little point. There was nothing he could deny the human when he looked into those softly questing eyes.

The warrior straightened shaking his helm in resignation.

"Very well. When do they need you for the tests?"

"About two hours ago," Fowler supplied with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"That's why I was in the modified flight suit when you found me," Jackson explained.

"And yet you demanded I come in here knowing that Jackson would follow me," Megatron mused arching an optic ridge at the older human.

"And I bet all those suits have got out of the way of the ticked off Warlord and won't come out until you've cooled down," Fowler replied with a grin. "Which probably won't be until after the tests are over according to the rumors."

"What rumors?" the younger human asked in confusion.

"The ones Fowler no doubt started," Megatron said with a dry chuckle, "He apparently decided that I needed some time with you before I faced this planet's representatives." The human could be properly devious he mused, and it was pleasant to have at least one ally who didn't fear him. "Well are you going to assist my scientist or stand here gaping all day?"

With a start the young human collected himself and leapt into Megatron's waiting hand. The Warlord carried him straight to where Preceptor was waiting, the red and white mech glanced over at them. The scientist was chattering away to someone and barely nodded a greeting to the Supreme Commander before snatching up the human and depositing him in a pod like device that was heavily wired to the bank of computers behind it. The Warlord had to suppress a snarl of fury. The contraption did not look at all safe and the scientist had been about to test it on Jackson without his permission?

He downloaded the data associated with the device and reviewed it carefully. The science did appear sound he grudgingly admitted, and every safety precaution was being taken. Still his spark began to pulse faster as the machine hummed to life. Green lights began to flicker around Jackson and the youth threw him a thumbs up. A small smile twitched at the corners of Megatron's faceplates despite the situation. The human may have been lacking in a certain type of pride but there was no questioning his courage.

The machine surged to a climax and held for a moment pulsing. Then a cascade of red lights began to flicker over the computer and the smell of burning insulation filled the chamber. Icy fear gripped the mech's spark and he spun on the scientist who was frantically working the controls. Finally the red and white mech turned to his commander and opened his mouth to speak, but the Warlord was already ahead of him.

Megatron sprang forward and ripped the pod open, snatching the human out of the device. He quickly ran scans over the nonresponsive body.

"How is he?" Fowler demanded.

"Alive and I can find no obvious damage," the black mech growled.

"But?" the general demanded, not liking the tone in his voice.

"He has lost mass Preceptor!" Megatron snarled, feeling the decreased weight in his servos. "What did you do to my son?"


	3. Reaction

**Prism**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfic**

**Chapter 3**

"But otherwise he's fine?" Lieutenant General Fowler tilted his head and stared at the odd sight before him.

Megatron; Lord Protector of Cybertron, Supreme Commander of the Allied Defense Forces, Warrior older than recorded history, was sitting cross legged in the headquarters medical bay tenderly crouched over the prone form that lay in his servos. His ruby red optics never flickered from his charge and a low humming filled the room as he spoke softly in Cybertronian.

"As far as I can tell he is a perfectly healthy human," the red and white mech responded warily.

Megatron had demanded that Ratchet immediately take the shuttle to earth. Though Preceptor was a genius it was the medic who had the greater understanding of human anatomy. In the time it had taken him to arrive from the Nemesis three human physicians had declared the youth fit, simply showing signs of exhaustion. But the Warlord had not begun to relax until Ratchet had gruffly informed him that there was nothing wrong with his sparkling that a good nap wouldn't cure.

"Except that he's somehow lost all that muscle we spent this past year building," Fowler sighed again shaking his head in confusion.

"This makes no sense," the medic growled. "This kind of error should be impossible. Every simulation we ran showed the process either working or not. A half-way failure like this is."

"Silence!" the harsh but eager voice drew the attention of the other two. "He awakes."

Ratchet came over and ran a critical optic over the slowly stirring form. They had not even taken the time yet to remove the experimental flight suit. The human gave a low groan and his blue grey eyes flickered open but remained unfocused.

"Jackson can you hear me?" the medic asked.

"Ratchet?" the youth shook his head and sat up shakily.

"Yes it is I," the medic stated happily, relief washing through him.

"What happened?" Jack asked reaching up to rub his eyes.

"That accursed machine of the scientists very nearly fried you to a crisp," Megatron growled, servos clenching in ill suppressed rage. "How are you feeling Jackson?"

He felt the raven haired human stiffen suddenly in his servos and those optics so dear to him snapped to the mech's battered faceplates focusing for the first time since he awoke. For a few brief seconds there was no expression on the youth's face, the he took a shaky breath.

"Megatron?" the voice was strange the warrior noted with mounting concern, strained and full of, fear?

That made no sense. The boy had known from the first that he was always safe in his father's presence. He had nothing to fear.

"Megatron!"

There was no doubt as the human suddenly rolled to the side and attempted to leap from the servos that held him. His voice was vibrating with terror and loathing. The warrior could feel his heart racing where his skin touched mesh and the youth was sending out a cloud of stress hormones.

"My son," the Warlord began in a gentle voice as he tried to contain the struggling human without harming him, "calm yourself. I am here."

But the words only seemed to drive the human into a deeper panic. The mech realized that if he clutched the youth any tighter he would cause him damage and relaxed his servos. Taking the small opening Jack leapt to the floor. He picked himself up and scrambled for the cover of a med berth. His guardian took the seconds it required the human to move the distance to study him. The usually graceful movements were gone, replaced by scrabbling hands and stumbling feet. Whatever had affected the youth was still clearly messing with his mind, the ancient Cybertronian decided.

The calm logical thought process was helping to keep his processor steady, but Megatron's spark was clenching painfully. His beloved Jackson had looked straight at him and rejected him. There had to be a logical reason; some chemical imbalance, perhaps the energy of the portal had deranged him somehow, but a cold certainty was forming in the mech. Jackson was afraid of him. He signaled for the medic and the human general to stand down. This was something he had to handle alone.

Rising far more gracefully than his massive frame should have allowed the Cybertronian followed after the panicked form that had fled the med bay. It was a bit difficult to follow the human through the base that had been darkened for the night, but the motion sensor lights gave the mech an edge. A frown creased his faceplates. Triggering the florescent lighting was a mistake his sparkling should not have made. Cleary the mishap was affecting him deeply. Megatron was unsure whether he should find that comforting as it meant Jackson was not in his right mind or disturbing that the young warrior was so very off his game.

"Jackson Darby," he called out experimentally, "come to me sparkling. I will not harm you."

"The pit you won't!" the human snarled out quietly.

Megatron frowned, Jackson had probably not meant for him to hear that. It was incredibly rare for the taciturn youth to curse. The word only added another shard of worry to the Cybertronians state. But far worse in his processor was the implications of the statement itself. The youth's mind was clearing and he sounded as if he still considered the Cybertronian a threat. The mech pressed forward, rounding the corner without paying much attention to where they were. Jackson was crouched down on the other side of a darkened room his hands working feverishly out of sight behind a low bench.

"Jackson," the mech tried again. "You are confused and frightened. Come back to the medical bay and Ratchet will examine you."

"Since when does Ratchet take orders from you?"

The sheer absurdity of the question distracted Megatron for a moment.

"Ratchet has been the head of Cybertronian medical facilities since before the Fall of Cybertron," he answered in confusion.

The human gave a snarl and pulled his hands into sight. With a soft curse at his carelessness the mech realized what room they were in; Wheelkjack's personal laboratory. The half crazed inventor had been working on crafting weapons that their human allies could use against the coming enemy. His most successful endeavor to date was the small projectile weapon Jackson was pointing straight at his spark chamber.

"My sparkling," Megatron spoke low and urgently.

It was not the weapon that disturbed him; it was the panicked desperation he saw in the eye of the being he treasured above all in this universe.

"I am not your sparkling!" the human growled fiercely.

The massive mech flinched at the venom in the youth's voice. It felt as if the cruel words were truly meant. He moved forward and extended a hand towards Jackson.

"Stay back!"

With a roar of noise and a wash of gas that blew the raven hair back, in the split second before the rounds began to impact it occurred to the mech that the hair was too long, the weapon belched fire and pain blossomed over the Warlord's chest plates. The firing stopped and Jack was struggling to reload the weapon when a larger dark form leapt from the shadows and pinned the youth to the floor with a yell.

"No! Fowler, do not restrain him. I will speak to him!" Megatron ordered, but a touch weakly.

The older human did not respond, it was taking all his attention to restrain the struggling Jack.

"You tried talking to him old friend," a rough voice spoke at the warrior's side. "Let us put him under for now until I can find some explanation for his behavior."

The red and white medic held up one servo, the tip of which had been transformed into a syringe filled with what Megatron could only suppose was anesthetic. His spark rebelled at the idea but the frantic cries that were coming from his son as the general wrestled to keep him on the floor decided him and he stepped aside to let Ratchet by. Jackson went limp as he recognized the healer and his blue grey eyes widened in fear and betrayal as Fowler twisted his head to the side to give the medic access to his neck. The silvery liquid disappeared into the human and his body went limp.

The three remaining sentients relaxed for a moment before Ratchet spun on his peds and descended on the stunned Warlord. Megatron saw the intention in his glittering blue optics and attempted to wave him off.

"I am fine Medic."

"Oh really," the smaller mech snapped, voice dripping with sarcasm. "So you're not really dripping energon and bio-acid all over the lab?"

The Supreme Commander of the Allied Defense Force, blinked at him dully then glanced down at this chassis. The weapon had never been developed to work on Cybertronians but their intended target had hides nearly as thick. The projectile force alone had penetrated several weak points on his armor, the bio-acid had of course not affected him at all, but the sickly orange liquid mixed with the energon to create a rather disturbing visual.

"Don't worry Megs," the human's use of the diminutive jerked the mech's attention back to Fowler. "I'll take the kid back to the med bay and we'll get this all sorted out."

"I will take him," the mech growled, shaking free of Ratchet.

"Megatron!" Fowler's voice assumed the harsh piercing tone he was infamous for. "Even if Ratchet certified you fit to do it what if he wakes up again? You know better than I do how randomly drugs affect Jack. Do you want to terrify him again?"

"He, has a point old friend," Ratchet insisted reattaching his grip on the larger mech. "The best thing for Jack right now is for Fowler to take him to the medical ward."

The Warlord nodded reluctantly and stepped back from the door. The older human tenderly swept the younger up in his arms and strode purposely from the dim room.

"He feared me Ratchet," Megatron muttered in confusion. "Me!"

"It is inexplicable," the medic muttered, his attention more on the damage to his leader now that he knew the youth was in good hands, "But we will figure this out, have no doubt of that."


	4. Shock

**Prism 4**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

"I don't know how I missed it before," Ratchet was muttering as he stood beside the towering form of Megatron in the base control room.

It had been near empty for the night shift and a single word from the Supreme Commander had sent the night watch scurrying for a less terrifying place to be. Now he and Ratchet were intently watching the flickering green screen of the main display. In the center it showed a common enough looking hospital room with a single young man strapped down to the medical bed. His features were relaxed as if in sleep. Megatron felt a pang at how innocent and how very young his charge looked. Servos rose almost unconsciously to touch the newest scars on his chassis.

"Megatron are you listening to me?" Ratchet's voice cut through his reverie.

The Warlord simply sent him a fierce glare and Ratchet huffed in annoyance.

"You were explaining that the oddities in Jack's physical body go beyond a simple loss of mass," Megatron replied flatly, his blood red optics returning to the screen.

The larger mech gave a snarl as the image of the raven haired youth flickered out, to be replaced by a glowing green representation of the human body. To a human the diagram would have simply appeared to be an overlapping mass of fine lines, to Cybertronian optics each set of lines that made up the body glowed a slightly different hue, creating a detailed map of the human's health.

"This is the routine physical of Jack that I took four days ago in preparation for the test," the medic was explaining. "This," another diagram popped up next to the first, "is what the sensors are showing now."

Megatron narrowed his optics in confusion. There were differences; the mass of the two forms the most obvious.

"But it is still Jackson," the black mech insisted on hand rising to touch over his spark chamber.

"Yes, that is the issue. This is no clone, no imposter, but he is distinctly different form the Jack we know. Here," the white and red mech isolated one glowing layer from each diagram and enlarged it.

"What am I looking at medic?" the Warlord growled.

"The boy's immune system markers. Each time the human body successfully defeats a pathogen it leaves an indelible mark on their genetic structure. See this," he indicated a particular tangle of information, "is where Jack fought off a common cold virus at the age of two. As you can see it is the same on both scans. Here," another cluster was highlighted, "is where he survived the First Pandemic."

The medic paused as Megatron flinched. It astounded Ratchet still how great an impact that had had on his fellow mech. Watching the small child Jack was at the time suffer and nearly waste away while so many other humans had fallen to the super-virus had very nearly broken the Warlord; a mech who had been considered nearly sparkless by even his closest friends. Shaking away the old memories Ratchet continued.

"Now however the scan can find no trace of his body's reaction to the pathogen."

Megatron stiffened and shot a sharp glance at the medic.

"So if they were to release another biological attack?"

"Jack would be defenseless."

A low growl escaped the scared faceplates.

"Moving on," the medic continued. "The oddities do not confine themselves to his immune system. Here is a tibia that was broken some years ago but which I have no memory of. There, he is lacking in all of the various scars and abrasions that he has collected in his time among us and has a set on his right hand that look for all the world like energon prod damage to me. His hair is longer than it should be. His fingernails are shorter. As I said I do not know why I did not see this sooner."

"Do not blame yourself old friend," Megatron let out a tired exvent and placed a hand on the smaller mech's shoulder strut. "I should have known from the first time I touched him. I told myself that it was the energies of the accident interfering with our spark-bond but even then I knew that to be absurd."

"What in the name of the All-spark is wrong with your sparks?" Ratchet spun on the mech snatching out his scanner and pointing it at his chestplates.

"I am not certain Ratchet. My spark still recognized the boy as Jackson, but it is as if the bond stretches through him, not to him."

A frustrated noise came from the medic and he shook his helm.

"The scan says your spark-bond is at full strength, but I am getting an odd resonance off of Jack."

The medic fell silent realizing he had lost the mech's attention and turned his head back to the screen. It now displayed the hospital room again. The youth on the bed was beginning to stir. General Fowler sat up in his chair and leaned forward. His white uniform shirt was rumpled, his tie was askew, and there was more than a day's growth of beard on his face. His sharp brown eyes took in the scene as Jack blinked and tried to raise his hands.

"Agent Fowler?" he asked warily.

"Jack," the man responded cautiously. "How are you feeling son?"

"Like a bus ran over my head after I fell off the cliff," the youth responded a bit wryly, then, "why am I tied down?"

"You did some crazy stuff kid. We just wanted to make sure you are back to yourself." The agent replied as he moved to undo the straps at Jack's wrists and ankles. "You are feeling better now?"

"Megatron," Jack's face scrunched in thought as he stretched and sat up on the bed. "I remember something…"

"What's your full name kid?" Fowler quickly asked pulling out a recorder.

"What?" Jack frowned at him.

"Just a quick mental health exam kid. Same kind I have to take every year."

"Oh, Jackson Darby."

The youth noted through the blurred thoughts crawling through his mind that Fowler seemed surprised at the answer.

"What is today's date?"

With a sigh, Jack tried to make himself more comfortable and answered the predictable questions as best he could. Strands of a very disturbing dream ran through his mind. His hands clenched, remembering the feel of the strange weapon's recoil. His eyes drifted over the uniform Fowler was wearing and he hesitated in mid sentence, since when did the agent wear a uniform?

Fowler repeated the question and Jack responded. The older man nodded evenly and looked his straight in the eye.

"Do you know where you are son?"

"I'm not sure. I've never seen this room before," Jack answered evenly.

"He's holding something back," Megatron muttered watching the interplay alertly.

"Megatron," Ratchet interjected softly. "Be that as it may there is the larger problem."

"Which is?"

"He answered the majority of Fowlers questions wrong."

"What?" the Warlord demanded harshly, while it was true he knew little of human civics he had been repeatedly assured by the female Fowler that Jack was an exceptional student and far ahead of his age in the grasp of such things.

"The date and simple math questions he answered correctly. However he listed the presidents and vice presidents wrong. He referred to Washington DC as the current capital of this country. I could go on, but surely even you noted that he got his own name wrong."

Ratchet looked searchingly into his leader's blood red optics as he said the last part and noted the pained flicker with a silent curse. For so long the human had been the ebony mech's emotional core. To be rejected like that must have hurt far worse than the bullet wounds.

"Have you come to a conclusion yet on what this all means?" the larger mech snapped.

"I have a few working theories," Ratchet admitted. "But I want to run them by Perceptor before I draw any conclusions. For now, both my scans and your spark say that this is Jack. We can move forward with that. He is not an enemy plant, or a fraud of any shape."

Megatron nodded and returned his attention to the two humans. Fowler had come to the end of the questions on the clipboard and had leaned forward.

"What was the last thing you remember before waking up in this hospital bed?"

Jack frowned and thought.

"I was about to drive home from the store. Mom needed me to pick up a big load of supplies for a hospital function so I had to take her car," Fowler's eyes suddenly glinted but his face remained impassive as the youth continued. "I was getting in to drive home and then." Jacks frown deepened and he looked sharply up at the man across from him. "I woke up here." He stated flatly.

"Jack how long have we known each other?" Fowler sighed rubbing his face.

"Some time now," Jack stated evenly.

"So tell me kid, why the bull answers?"

A look of confusion flashed across Jack's face and Fowler raised the clipboard.

"I know you have all the presidents memorized perfectly, and you know better than anyone what happened twelve years ago at DC. So why the bull answers?"

"I seriously have no idea what you are talking about," Jack stated with a frown.

"Okay, change of topic," the older man said after a moment of intensely studying the younger. "Tell me everything you know about Cybertronians."

"I don't think I will," Jack said slowly.

"And why not?"

"Something is very wrong here," the raven haired youth stated evenly. "Before I answer and more questions I want to see Optimus."

"Who?" Fowler asked in confusion.

Jacks blue-grey eyes narrowed but his face remained calm.

"Optimus Prime," he stated evenly, "big red and blue bot; carries the Matrix of Leadership."

Fowler sensed that something had changed in the interview and he was being the one tested now. He touched a button on his wrist controls and inclined his head as an orderly brought in a tray of food.

"I'll see what I can arrange. Until then get dressed and have a bite to eat," the general slipped out of the room intensely aware of the eyes boring holes into the back of his head.

In the command room Ratchet was gaping at the screen with dilated optics. He tore his gaze away from the display and looked over at his leader. Megatron was gripping the consol so hard he had nearly torn the weak human metals from the concrete. His optics had faded to a dull orange glow.

"When did you tell him about Orion?" Ratchet demanded harshly.

"Never," the larger mech replied in a strangely flat voice, "I never told him."


	5. Vision

**Prism 5**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Vision**

Fowler left Jack in the charge of the ward nurse; a capable old woman who had served in the armed forced for decades, and strode out into the command center.

"Who in the name of Uncle Sam's best bowtie is he talking about?" the human demanded irritably as he jogged up the stairs.

He was about to repeat the question but a warning look from Ratchet silenced him. Megatron was clearly deep in thought; red optics unfocused and servos clenched. Even though the great mech was not moving his entire frame appeared to be vibrating with emotion. The human had thought he had seen the depths of the Cybertronian's spark in the past, but now he stared at a powerful reminder of just how little he really knew of this alien who their lives and freedom depended on.

With a final shuddering ex-vent the Warlord disentangled his talons from the remains of the consol. Fowler quickly shoved aside the ever amusing image of Ratchet scolding the far larger mech with his usual cant of 'I needed that!'. He could tell from the deadly serious look in the medic's optics that this was a serious matter.

"I need you to question him further," Megatron finally said, clearly fighting to control his voice. "Find out what he knows about Optimus."

"So this is a real Cy?" Fowler demanded.

"Yes General," the ebony mech almost whispered. "Optimus Prime was very real. But he passed into the Well of Allsparks many vorns ago."

Seeming to shake himself Megatron spun on the human.

"Return to the room now."

Nodding curtly the man turned to go. Blood red optics followed him out then snapped down to the medic.

"Your theory."

"I told you I am not…"

"Your. Best. Working. Theory. Now."

Ratchet knew better than to argue with his commander when he used that tone. He drew in a long vent of air to cool his systems and triggered a new screen on the display. This one simply showed an odd set of groundbridge coordinates.

"You are aware of how a regular spacebridge system functions. The wormhole that is created is highly unstable. There are quite literally thousands of systems that need to be in place to make it practically functional making multiple units impractical; interphasial generations, vortex stabilizers, mass displacement regulatory programs, and the list goes on. However one key factor has always been the smaller the mass the fewer the complications. Also that transporting anything without energon or a spark is less of a bother. This was the theory behind our new rescue portals. If a team was damaged anywhere in Sol System the humans at least could be transported back to the safety of the main control center."

Megatron nodded as his optics reaffixed on the display. Fowler had entered the room and was cautiously engaging Jack in conversation. The medic was wracking his processor for a way to explain a concept to the warrior in simple terms that he didn't properly understand himself.

"There was one major difference in the design," Ratchet continued. "Normally a spacebridge or a groundbridge forms the naturally unstable wormhole between two points in spacetime and the added systems keep it stable. Because worrying about sparks wasn't a problem Perceptor was able to utilize another method. It essentially reaches out to a third point for stability, like an anchor. It creates an incredibly stable bridge, with a longer range than any groundbridge, not the range of a spacebridge but much safer. The stability stems from the fact that the third point actually digs into the very fabric of reality."

"And how does that explain this?" Megatron demanded indicating the tense situation in the medical room.

"Even though the tech is old; it predates not only the Fall but the original occupation, it is poorly understood even now. Put simply we have no idea what the third branch attaches to. The one theory that makes any kind of sense is that it tethers the energy of this reality to another, by finding a point in the theoretical other reality as close as possible to our own." Ratchet paused in thought. "There was a power surge," he said softly, "if it hit just as Jack's mass was at the apex of the three branches, assuming the 'tether' branch was attached to a version of Jack in another reality it may have bumped him into that one while pulling this Jack that we see into our own."

The Warlord nodded slowly, and to Ratchet's surprise appeared to calm down.

"This means that our Jack is probably in an unknown universe and most likely as frightened and disorientated as this one is," the amber and white mech cautiously pointed out.

"Perhaps, my friend, perhaps. Only recall that this Jack has been demanding to see Optimus Prime. It would stand to reason that it is he and not I who leads the Cybertronian forces in this other dimension, and I cannot imagine my charge coming to any harm while under the care of Cybertron's greatest Prime. Now," and the red optics fixed on the medic, "I will continue to monitor this conversation while you find a way to reverse the process."

Ratchet bowed respectfully. He knew his Lord Protector well enough than to bother pointing out that it was only a theory, that they did not even know if it was possible to reverse it, that it was possible the power surge had simply incinerated their Jack. The medic had been given his orders, and he followed them.

"So you are afraid I'm in league with the enemy," Fowler said with a tired sigh as one chocolate brown hand rose to rub tired eyes. "An enemy that includes Megatron."

He glanced up to see how his statement had been received and was met with a cold even stare. The officer was trying not to show it but he was growing more unnerved by the second. This was the young man he had helped to raise, he probably knew him better than he did most of his soldiers, but there was something off and it had nothing to do with the weird rewrite of history the kid seemed to be experiencing, and while his brain had long ago accepted the fact that Jackson Darby Megatronus was a skilled soldier and would face dangers in battle, the older man's heart still rebelled at the thought of something wrong with little Jackie. The General shook his head to clear it and tried a different tack.

"Okay kid, it's like this. Right now you don't trust me, and for the sake of the argument let's say that you might have a reason. But you are not getting out of this room until you give me something. So why don't you assume the worst case scenario; your enemy Megatron has captured you, both I and Ratchet are working with him, and he is listening to every word. Working from that, tell me everything that Megatron knows, not what he could have learned from capturing a three-star general mind you, just what he knows on his own."

Jack shifted uncomfortably. He was loath to give anything to the other in this situation but what the man said made a kind of sense. The youth nodded slowly and a thoughtful look fixed on his face. What could he say that wouldn't endanger the real agent Fowler and the Autobots? The history of Cybertron was good, that the Autobots were on Earth. He had no idea how much Megatron knew about the alliance with the human governments so he would avoid that. With a deep breath the youth began to speak.

"I guess it all began on Cybertron, back in what they call the Golden Age, before the civil war."

Fowler nodded and let his recorder do its work on the facts while he watched the youth. As far as he could tell Jack thought he was telling the truth as the story came out; a tale of ambition, hope for the future, lofty goals, all coming crashing down in betrayal and lust for power. He was not the only watcher. Standing alone in front of the flickering green screen Megatron stood his faceplates frozen in shock.

Jack finally stopped talking and glared at the skeptical look on Fowler's face.

"So, Megatron leads a group called the Decepticreeps."

"Decepticons."

"Close enough for Government work kid, against the heroic Autobots who are trying to protect our world from the Cons, and you know all this because?" the man asked.

"Because Optimus and Ratchet told me, and while neither is exactly an impartial source both are completely honest."

"Listen Jack," Fowler began but fell silent when his communicator gave a signal.

The man paused and raised a finger to his ear as he listened to what Megatron was saying. Fowler's eyes suddenly widened and he began to sputter a bit but after a short time he nodded and gave a long sigh. The youth watched him suspiciously from the bed.

"Kid, you know much about alternate dimensions?"

"Maybe," Jack replied cautiously.

Fowler opened his mouth to continue when the wall of the room began to shift and fold back on itself. Quicker than Jack would have thought possible the room was gone and a massive black hand had scooped him up from where he perched on the bed. He was vaguely aware of Fowler demanding to know what was going on and of Megatron rumbling out that he had tried Fowler's way long enough. The youth was aware that they were passing through corridors and then his stomach lurched as the entire world seemed to rearrange around him.

Jack found himself strapped into the cockpit of a fighter jet. By the time his mind had recognized that fact sudden acceleration pushed him back into the seat. He gasped for breath as the G forces pulled at his body, crushing the air out of his lungs. Just as he thought he was about to black out the pressure released just enough for him to regain his senses. The blue sky above his head was rapidly fading to the black of space on the other side of the canopy.

Thousands of stars suddenly appeared around him and despite the situation the youth found his breath taken away again by the beauty of the panorama. The stars seemed to roll overhead and suddenly Earth swung into view, growing smaller as they pulled away. A deep and inexplicable sense of peace seemed to flow over Jack and he relaxed somewhat into the seat that held him. The silence seemed to stretch with only the sound of Megatron's engines and the human's heartbeat filling the compartment. Finally Jack took a deep breath.

"What do you want Megatron?" his voice was carefully neutral.

"Look at me."

"I'm in your cockpit," the human stated with a frown, "no matter where I look I'm looking at you."

"No Jackson. _Look _at me," the Warlord's emphasis on the verb made Jack stiffen.

How could the Decepticon leader possibly know about that? There was no way. He had to be misunderstanding him.

"Jackson, I know that you are not limited to the five senses that humanity claims," the mech growled as if reading his mind. "Now if you want to understand what is going on, look at me."

"Fine!" the youth muttered deciding that there was little danger in doing as the jet instructed.

He closed his eyes and began the breathing exercises that Zech had taught him. The older human had assured him that with practice neither method would be necessary and the raven haired youth had had some success in using his other sense but worked up as he was he needed every advantage he could get to calm down enough and focus. Soon though his heart rate slowed and the world resolved around him into light. He gave a startled cry and his eyes snapped open shattering the vision.


	6. Shift

**Prism 6**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Shift**

"What is it?" Megatron's voice asked in concern, the wide eyed shock he saw in his sparkling's (he refused to think of the young man in any other way) eyes was not the reaction he had been looking for.

"Space," the youth whispered frantically, mind still reeling from what he had both seen and not seen when he had opened his other senses. "So empty, blackness stretching far beyond anything, and yet there was life out there I sensed," the human shuddered, suddenly feeling as if something was preventing him from speaking further.

"Peace my son," Megatron murmured, and there was a note of contrition in his voice. "We are not yet past the outer reaches of the barrier, and in my haste I am afraid that I did not consider that if my suspicions are true you may have never been in the cold emptiness outside of your planet before."

For the first time Jack noted how different the impossibly deep basso was from the times he had heard it before. There was still strength and pride and something of the harsh grating quality, but there was none of the menace or arrogance that he had heard in the cavern or the Autobot base. The youth took a deep steadying breath and grasped at the straps that were holding him. As disturbing as the sensation of having the mech transform around him had been this was far worse, his very perception of the Cybertronian was rapidly shifting. His glimpse of Megatron's life force had been brief but was enough to convince him that the mech held no malice towards him.

What was stranger that that even however was the look, the feel, of his life force. Jack's mind spun as his logic centers tried to make sense of information he had gathered from a sense he had been actively using for less than a year. Every living creature gave off light. Even hard core western science recognized at least the infrared portion of life force. Over the past months Zech and to some extent Sal had been training the younger human on how to interpret the shifting rainbow of colors any living thing gave off.

Jack had sensed Megatron's life force on only a few occasions. By the time he had mastered the skills Zech had been trying to teach him the Autobots had grown far more skilled at keeping their human charges and their sworn enemies apart. But the raven haired youth had a natural sensitivity and gaining this close perspective had suddenly clarified something for him.

"I thought it was just my senses being off from the accident," the human muttered, "but there is something different about you; Fowler too, everyone. You are not Megatron, at least not the Megatron I know. The light of your life force; it's refracted, like white light through a prism. Everything has shifted, except me. I," Jack flushed a bit when he realized he was babbling but started when the harness began to stroke him soothingly in much the same way Optimus was prone to do when the youth was stressed. "Um, please stop that," he requested nervously.

The mech complied but in his heightened state of awareness Jack got the feeling that the Cybertronian was hurt. He shook his head. This was Megatron! Immediately on the heels of that though came a self reprimand. This was a mech who was clearly very close to him here, wherever 'here' was.

"So," Jack started, desperate to find some point of clarity in the mess his mind was rapidly becoming, "ground bridge malfunction, you haven't squished me, Fowler vouching for you; this is an alternate dimension."

"That is the theory that Ratchet and Perceptor have come up with yes."

Jack nodded, that made sense; in the weird reality twisting way things did when you were around giant robots from outer space for long enough.

"I guess I should apologize," the human continued nervously.

"For what, defending yourself against what you perceived to be a foe?" the mech snorted. "You reacted like the warrior you are."

The note of pride in the voice was a bit disturbing and Jack wriggled as the straps snuggled him deeper into the seat. His mind had come over to the idea that this mech meant him no harm but his instincts were still set to react to any movement from what looked like a Decepticon as a threat. He was doubly thankful now for the meditations he had learned from the Franklins as he fought down the urge to crawl out of his skin.

"So I've figured it out now," Jack said a bit shakily, "can we go back to Earth?"

"No."

The human blinked in surprise at the flat denial. Megatron had spoken in a tone Jack had come to associate with an active comm. link and the youth fell silent as he waited for the Cybertronian to finish his conversation. He thought about shifting his awareness so he could see the radio frequencies, but that would mean peering into the cold abyss of space again and he shuddered at the thought. In response to his unconscious gesture a warm wash of air blew over him and the straps began their stroking anew. This time Jack stiffened but accepted the gesture. There was an audible click as the comm. unit shut off and the human could have sworn he felt the mech sigh.

"We cannot return planet side at the moment Jackson. I have duties to attend to on my flag ship and your presence is required as well. Do not worry, your alternate adapted quickly to inner space, I have no doubt you will as well."

"Oh," Jack glanced nervously out the canopy and decided to focus on the stars instead of the blackness between them. It helped. "Um, I have questions."

"Please ask," there was a note of longing in the Warlord's tone that shocked the raven haired youth anew, "it has been far too long since I have heard your voice my sparkling."

"Okay, let's start with that. How am I _your_ sparkling?"

There was silence for a moment and Jack was about to try another question when the mech gave out something that sounded akin to a soft sigh.

"In your dimension, is your biological mother still alive?"

"What? I mean yes she is," Jack stated in shock.

"This dimension was not so blessed. We had just located your world using the old records. The archives told of many devices that the counsel had ordered stored there, and much energon, during the mid stage of the invasion to protect them from enemies. I ordered the troops to fall back and regroup on this planet," there was a long pause and when the fighter jet began to speak again deep emotion was vibrating in his voice. "The enemy found you first. They found you and feared you. By the time my first scouts arrived they had already formulated their attack plans. There was nothing the Seekers could do but watch in horror as they attacked your cities. I had given them strict orders not to interfere with attacks unless Cybertronian interests were specifically threatened." A dry chuckle crackled around Jack. "Unfortunately Starscream was never keen on following orders. When he saw that your people were fighting back, that even hopelessly outclassed by the attackers technology you were defending yourselves he couldn't stand by any longer. He made contact with your leaders and offered tech trades at first. That began to turn the course of the invasion. However this only served to enrage the invaders and they proceeded with extra-atmospheric bombing of all the governmental capitals."

Jack shifted uncomfortably as the mech's stroking suddenly became tender and gentle.

"This is the scene I arrived to. The capital of your mother's nation was reduced to rubble. Passive assistance had not been enough for the rest of the commander's trine. They had attempted to defend certain of the targets. It went badly to say the least. They were shot down over what had been the city of Washington DC. I had entered the system just as their distress calls had gone out. I led a sortie against the invasion fleet. Primus was with us for once and it was small, they had not expected resistance from your people and we caught them off guard. It was over before they had a chance to send a distress signal out even. I left my officers to the cleanup and sought out my errant Seekers on the ground."

Another long pause stretched out and the raven haired youth got the feeling that the mech did not want to go on. The human gently reached out and stroked the side of the cockpit.

"What did you find?"

"They had been badly injured. Had they been left to their own devices they would have no doubt offlined by the time I arrived. They had been hit by a weapon that completely disables Cybertronian functions. The impact from the resulting crash to the surface should have left them with fatal wounds that would have leaked out, but they had been taken to safety in a warehouse. There a small group of humans was tending to their wounds as best they could with their limited understanding. But it had been enough to keep my Seekers online. They were led by a human female. I did not learn her name until much later."

Another dry laugh escaped the Warlord at the memory.

"This little organic, barely a fraction of my weight, came storming up to my ped and demanded to know if I spoke her language. I quickly accessed your internet and assured her I did. She then proceeded to describe the condition of my warriors to me and demanded to know what she could do. I ignored her," deep regret suddenly tinged the rough voice, "made a note to reward her properly later for saving the trine and attempted to debrief my officers. She observed from the side.

That, that was when the second attack occurred. There had been more fighters hiding behind the moon and they used our distraction to level several cities before we could stop them. In the warehouse I was struck by the same disabling device my seekers had been and I watched helplessly as the building crumbled around us. We were in no real danger from the debris. When the dust had cleared and I regained control of my body the attack was over and the rest of my soldiers had destroyed the attackers. I was about to rejoin them when I heard a sound. The organic femme had become trapped in the fallen structure. She was the only human survivor and I freed her but the damage to her frame was simply too great and she was very aware of that fact. There was a look of terror in her eyes as she tried to communicate something to me. It was a name, a password, and a location along with the request that I take care of her offspring and mate."

Deep bitterness filled the voice as he continued the tale and Jack remained still in shock.

"She had saved the sparks of my warriors and I rewarded her by leading my enemies straight to her location. Ratchet had arrived and was tending to the Seekers by then. The rest of the attacking fleet had been destroyed and I took it upon myself to grant her last request. I discovered the location she had indicated and found it to be a section of what I would later learn had been housing units to the North. They had been badly damaged in the attack. It took several hours of searching the rubble; I found a handful humans and handed them over to the medics who had come to search. Finally I began to understand the system of numbered housing and I found hers. In the remains was a single life sign."


	7. Direction

**Prism 7**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Direction **

Megatron's voice grew quiet as the memory file played over in his processor.

_The smoke that billowed around him laced with traces of hydrocarbon gasses that might combust at any click. The bright yellow sun burning hotly down through the haze, casting everything in a sickly orange glow. Row upon row of dwelling places; crudely constructed out of the native minerals and organic matter; all in some state of damage. The red rectangular solids that made up the housing unit he was interested in. The wailing of sirens, the cries of agony as body after offline body was discovered._

_Primus, the mech wondered idly, how were there creatures so similar to them in their grief?_

_For the most part the humans ignored him and went about their rescue attempts. A few waved weapons at him and shouted angrily, but the tall silver mech had sectioned off a small percentage of his processor to answer them soothingly. No, he was not the one who had attacked the city. The enemy had been defeated for now. He was searching for a survivor. Finally one human offered to help and that was when he located the building. Or rather what was left of it. _

_One life sign. His weary spark gave the smallest twinge of hope as he carefully examined the rubble. He was about to begin digging through the mass of debris when the roar of a high powered engine filled the air. Above him was the form of a strange Seeker. Megatron frowned and considered the flier; not one of his, not of the enemy. A native then? In the microseconds as it approached he noted that mass and form were compatible with his frame and scanned it. _

_The vessel jerked as the blue light played over it and a native curse came over the radio waves. Not a life form itself the Warlord realize, but merely armor for a native warrior of this planet. The jet began to jerk and spin out of control and then ejected a pod containing a human. The craft shot into the air before stabilizing and the pod crashed to the ground. Megatron watched in bemusement as a dark form leapt out and assumed a fighting stance. It was larger than the femme, a mech perhaps, and its white denta flashed in the sun as it snarled out a challenge at the Cybertronian. Another human ran up and explained the situation to the little warrior and the weapon in his servos had cautiously lowered. _

"_I search for the life that is supposed to be in this dwelling," the mech had explained._

"_What in the name of Old Glory for?" the human demanded harshly._

"_To repay a debt."_

_The man had considered this for a time and then put the weapon away. _

"_I'm Colonel Fowler with the US Air Force. You need to be careful sifting through brick like that. It crumbles." _

_They had worked together to clear away the rubble and found a sight that had stirred something in the battle hardened mech's spark. He who had witnessed a thousand-thousand confrontations and thought his core long since numb to all but battle rage suddenly found himself wishing to cry out in pain. There was indeed the life he sought. An explosion of the hydrocarbon gas had swept through the chamber the small organic was in. All that could be seen was a burnt ball of flesh. The heated air alone had seared delicate inner tissues and baked the outer to a black carbon crust. _

_With a harsh snarl the human had declared the man dead and turned to go, but stopped when Megaton stepped forward and delicately plucked up the sooty form. The human nearly retched as the long servos carefully tore the deceased human apart but the reproach died on the man's lips as he saw what was revealed. Wrapped in a thick wool blanket that turned to ash and drifted away was a small boy. Long spindly limbs unfolded as the little human gasped for air. He collapsed in the wide palm of the now black mech as Megatron knelt in the debris to show his find to the other rescuers. The Warlord was well aware of how finding even a single survivor could buoy the mood of the moment. These humans proved once again their eerie similarity with a rough cheer. _

"_What does this little one require Colonel?" Megatron queried, unable to take his blood red optics off the small organic._

_The noise roused the boy and his small optics blinked open as he raised himself up on tiny hands. A strange but not unpleasant sensation surged through the mech's systems at the touch of skin on mesh. The Warlord drew in a quick vent of the sooty air as his systems revved in recognition then forcefully repressed painful and useless memories. But one thought escaped; save for the energon glow the blue optics were the same shade as Orion's. They stared up at him and the mech had the strangest sensation that the small organic was peering into his spark. _

"_Why are you so sad?" _

_Megatron stiffened at the question as his processor raced in confusion. Colonel Fowler interrupted his thoughts by leaping into his outstretched servo and gently crouching beside the boy producing a bottle of water. _

"_Hey kiddo, thirsty?"_

_The boy looked suspiciously at the man in the flight suit and inched closer to the mech's chestplates._

"_Mommy says not to take things from strangers," he muttered but the sentence was interrupted by a dry cough._

_Suddenly remembering his duty the mech leaned forward and spoke._

"_Are you the human Jackson Darby?"_

_The boy nodded._

"_I am afraid it is my duty to inform you June Darby is currently offline. She has entrusted you to my care."_

_The boy blinked up at him dumbly but the mech felt the faint double beat of some internal pump quicken._

"_Land o' Goshen man, break it to the kid a little easier," Fowler hissed from his perch._

"_Mommy hurt?" the boy asked in confusion._

"_Yeah kid we need to get you to a shelter," the airman stated taking a firm grip on the boy's shoulder._

"_No!" with surprising strength and swiftness the smaller organic broke the lager's hold and pressed up against the Warlord's armor. "What's the password?"_

"_Oh, fudge buckets," the man muttered rubbing his eyes tiredly, "password…"_

_Megatron leaned in and whispered the code the human femme had given and suddenly the boy smiled and pressed his face and hands into the mech's frame just over his spark chamber. Another surge of energy pulsed through the mech; this one stronger causing his optics to flare and a shudder to run through his frame, whether of fear or pleasure he would never be able to say. _

"_I go with the wobot!" the boy declared. "He knows password." Something seemed to occur to the boy and he glanced around in confusion. "Where Daddy?"_

_The human glanced quickly down at the charred remains and Megatron shifted his hand so the grisly sight was out of the sparklings line of sight. _

"_Your 'Daddy' is unavailable," the mech guessed out loud and the boy nodded uncertainly, pressing closer to the Cybertronian. _

"_Okay kid. Megatron wasn't it?" Fowler asked as he rolled the water bottle to the boy who popped the top eagerly and began to drink. "Look, I can take you to a good hospital and we can leave the boy with the doctors there. Then we'll go meet with my superiors at what's left of the Pentagon."_

_The Warlord meant to agree. His processor sent out the commands that would cause him to rise and carry out the human's suggestion, but that's not what happened. It would be hard to say which sentient was more surprised when the Warlord lightly shook Fowler from his perch and closed his servos protectively around the immature human. _

"_June Darby placed the care of her offspring in my servos," the mech found himself saying. "I assume there are medical personal at this facility of which you speak? Good, they will tend to the boy until I decide what to do with him."_

_Fowler looked like he might disagree but appeared to decide that arguing with a three story tall alien robot would not be a productive use of his time and nodded in resignation. _

"_Let me call in a ride and we'll get going."_

"_Unnecessary," the mech rumbled._

_The human jerked back in shock as the humanoid mech suddenly transformed into the jet. The organic seemed to ponder the situation for a moment then leapt into the open cockpit to join the excited boy._

"_Pentagon's that-a-way."_


	8. Fracture

**Prism 8**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Fracture **

Jack sat blank faced as he listened to the story. His fingers traced idly over the smooth interior of Megatron's cockpit. The human took a shuddering breath and shook his head. It was simply too much to take in.

"Okay, next question. Where's Optimus Prime?"

He felt the air around him stir and sensed the energy flowing through the mech tense even through the blocks the human had put up. The silence in the small space seemed to stretch out before Megatron answered.

"Optimus is one with the Allspark," the confession was a hoarse whisper full of pain and guilt.

Jack's naturally compassionate soul went out to the mech at the suffering he heard and in response sparks of soft energy flickered from his circling fingertips into the warm mesh of the Cybertronian unnoticed by either party. But Megatron felt their effect as the pain around his spark lessened and he resumed gently stroking the human.

"How?" Jack asked.

There was another pause and then.

"I killed him," it was more the bitterness and self reproach in the Warlord's voice than the words themselves that made Jack catch his breath.

"I don't understand," the human murmured.

"Tell me Jackson, has your Optimus ever mentioned our age old enemy?"

"Ah, Unicron?"

A dry chuckle echoed through the cabin.

"No, not the Unmaker."

"I can't say he's mentioned it."

A long vent of air echoed through the cockpit and the entire jet shuddered with barely repressed emotion. Jack stroked the mech again sending a wave of reassurance through him.

"I should begin at the beginning. I was originally a miner; one of the lowest classes of mechs on Cybertron. I found escape from the mine and some measure of fame in the Gladiator pits of Kaon."

The human nodded and shifted again as the stroking of the harness increased. There was something inherently different in the way Megatron was doing it compared to how Optimus did. Jack was hard pressed to pinpoint the exact deviation; the pressure was about the same, the straps never wandered anywhere that would make him squirm, but still there was something off. It was as if, the human finally decided, when the Prime stroked him the main purpose was to give comfort to the human, the Warlord was seeking comfort from the gesture. That realization, pinning down the source of his unease calmed the raven haired youth and he settled a bit more comfortably into the seat. If this mech needed his comfort he was willing to give it. Unconsciously the light flowing from his fingers into the warm mesh changed color and the mech's story was interrupted by a low noise, almost, but not quite a purr before he continued.

The first part of the tale was much the same as what Jack had already heard from Ratchet and Optimus but something seemed off about the time frame. Jack was by no means an expert on Cybertronian concepts of time, Raf would have probably made more sense of that aspect of the story, but it sounded like the two great mechs had been in communication for longer than they had in the human's home verse.

"When it came time for me to speak before the counsel our audience was canceled mere hours before we arrived. I was furious and Orion spent no little time and effort calming me," there was a moment of silence as both the mech's voice and straps stilled.

"He was perhaps the only being who could have turned my anger. He convinced me to apply again. We kept in constant contact as the new appointed time drew near, until he simply stopped communicating with me. I feared something had happened to him but to my shame did not investigate, thinking he had fallen prey to the wiles of the corrupt senators. I was a fool to even consider such a thing. A few shifts before we were scheduled to appear Orion suddenly arrived in Kaon. While he was physically fine he appeared shaken to his very spark. He requested a private audience with me and I granted it."

Megatron ceased speaking and stayed silent longer this time.

"_Megatronous my friend; I come to you in dire need with a request that few could grant, fewer would grant."_

_The silver gladiator gazed into those cerulean optics as the red and blue mech sat slumped on the bench in front of him and felt a twinge of fear such as he had only ever felt in the ring. He had grown to know this quiet mech through the conversations they had shared and the short time they had spent together. No matter how heated and passionate their debates had become the archivist had always maintained his composure, but now there was raw terror seeming to gleam straight from Pax's spark, barely held in check by his mighty processor. It suddenly dawned on Megatronous how much he had come to respect Orion. A strange need stirred in the battle hardened mech. He would provide for this one. _

"_Make what request you will of me my brother," the gladiator stated, "whatever the cost, if it is in my power I will grant it."_

_Silver faceplates rose from black servos and Orion Pax drew in a long shuddering vent to cool his systems. _

"_I need you to help me seize the Iacon Counsel Chambers."_

_O_

_O _

"Wait, what?" Jack demanded incredulously, interrupting the tale.

"Indeed," Megatron rumbled sadness and amusement both in his tone, "such was my response as well. I could not believe my audio receptors at first. What he proposed was high treason. I remained silent as he said to me that he was not free to give me any explanation on how he knew certain information but that the senators were in grave danger, all of Cybertron was in danger, and we had but a short time to plan our attack."

O

O

"_You are my only recourse Megatronous," the archivist stated reaching out to grip his forearm._

"_You mean I am the only mech you know mad enough to even consider what you ask," the gladiator replied._

"_You are the only ally I have who would even stand a chance of succeeding in the task."_

_Orion knew the larger mech realized suddenly. The peaceful mech had an understanding of what this would require, what the cost would be. Red optics narrowed in consideration as the red and blue mech pressed his case. Pax's vocalizer stilled as the silver gladiator suddenly stood and strode to the door. The cobalt blue helm dropped in defeat, his friend had been his only real hope for an ally in this matter, he had no delusions of success if he besieged the Council Chambers alone. He rose to his peds tiredly and moved to follow the other mech out of the gladiator's sparse personal chambers. _

"_Brother," Orion started quietly, "I need to know one thing. When all is said and done, you will believe I acted on the urging of my spark for the good of Cybertron, not out of madness."_

_The larger mech turned from the cabinet he had just opened and looked at the smaller in surprise._

"_You plan on taking the Chambers alone?" he demanded. "With what weapons?"_

_Orion transformed his hands into the short utility blades his model was fitted with and studied them intently for a long moment. He was about to respond when Megatronous gave a derisive laugh. Slightly offended the archivist glanced up at his friend and then stiffened in shock. The larger mech was holding a sword half as long as he was and standing in front of the door challengingly. _

"_You are a fool Orion, if you think for one moment you will make it past the guardians of the senate."_

"_I must try," the archivist stated strange desperation in his voice. _

"_Then try me. I am only one and I have no ranged weapons on me."_

"_I will not fight you my brother," Orion said with a long exvent._

"_Then you will not leave this chamber."_

_The red and blue mech's helm snapped up and he glared in shock at his friend. More swiftly than the gladiator would have thought possible the smaller form darted at him and the short but sturdy blade cut up. Orion was good, the larger mech realized in surprise as he caught the red arm and lightly threw his chassis to the floor. This was actually making him pay attention. He pressed the edge of the blade to the sensitive cables at the joining of the archivist's helm and chestplates and gave a smug smirk, the kind he knew aggravated the tactful mech. How he did enjoy that stunned look on those silver faceplates. _

"_If you cannot even stand against me are you still determined to do this?" he demanded roughly._

_No answer was vocalized but the blue optics glared up at him in determination. _

"_And if I try to stop this madness?"_

_The larger mech was not prepared for the look of hurt and betrayal that flickered across Orion's faceplates and a spasm of guilt flickered through his spark. But the look was soon replaced with one of determination as the smaller mech spoke up. _

"_Brother, I do not wish to fight you, but I must do this. I," Orion shuttered his optics in shock as a deep rumbling laugh filled the room. _

_The blade lifted off his neck and the sword was dropped heavily into his hands._

"_That is what I needed to hear my brother," the gladiator laughed._

_His ruby red optics glittered like dying stars and a deep rumble rolled out from his chest as he reached out one massive taloned hand to help Orion up._

"_I will not let you do this alone. If you are so very determined, then by all means lead on. Let it be treason!" _


	9. Conviction

**Prism 9**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Conviction **

"Optimus asked you to attack the Senate?" Jack demanded in shock.

"No, that is what I thought at first as well," Megatron replied. "What he had asked me to do was help him storm the Council Chambers. I sent him to my chief scientist and medic Shockwave to be fitted with armor and weapons while I made my plans. When I rejoined him I was annoyed to see that he had not yet been reformatted."

O

O

"_Megatronus I am truly grateful for your offer of assistance, but this armor is too much," Orion said with a small smile. "It would only slow me down in combat. Likewise the weapons, while powerful are beyond my skill. I will use only those I am familiar with."_

_The gladiator shot a look at his second and Shockwave rolled his shoulders back and shuttered his one optic in disgust. That he had little respect for this soft fool of a mech was clear. But Megatronus peered searchingly into the cerulean optics and only nodded. _

"_You will fight well I am certain," the larger mech said quietly, "but if you will not at least accept my armor than you must accept that I must protect you in its stead."_

_He could see the reluctance in Orion's faceplates. The archivist wanted to prove himself no doubt, but Pax was nothing if not reasonable. _

"_Then together brother," he stated._

"_Together," Megatronus replied gripping Orion's forearm._

_O_

_O_

"We followed the underground tunnels as far as we could but when the time came we had to assault the council chamber proper. The defenses were surprisingly weak. At the time I assumed it was a trap but the enemy was simply over confidant. Many of my assumptions were proven wrong that day."

"Your assumptions about Orion?" Jack guessed.

"Indeed. I had seen only a soft archivist; keen of processor perhaps, but no warrior, how very wrong I was. Soundwave hacked and opened the main doors for us and we saw what lay within."

O

O

_The gladiator's ruby red optics flickered over the scene before him analyzing the defenses for weaknesses. The high guard was scattered around the chambers in a predictable pattern but the chambers themselves had been completely rearranged from what the public records indicated. Now the entire Hall was open. The floor swept down to a cluster of central tables. It appeared that something was reformatting several mechs, something surrounded by strange technoorganic warriors. Megatronus paused in confusion not able to make sense of the scene in front of him. _

"_Sentential Prime!" Orion shouted._

_There was fear in his voice and outrage such as the larger mech had never heard. Without warning the red and blue Cybertronian attacked. Megatronus surged after him with a curse._

"_Stay behind me brother," he snarled as he deflected the blow of one of the Hall Guards, but the archivist did not appear to hear him as the pressing attack of the Elite Guard threatened to separate them._

_With a roar of rage the gladiator lunged forward and spun around, effortlessly throwing off the mech who had been attempting to assault Pax's back. It crossed his processor that it had been too easy, that the mech was far too unskilled for an Elite, but then there was no time for thought as his backstrut brushed against Orion's._

_They were fighting together now. While Megatronus's servos we occupied with crushing the life out of one of the strange technoorganic soldiers Pax's blade spun around to deflect the blow of one of the Cybertronian guards. The smaller mech ducked and almost without thought the gladiator whipped his plasma rifle over and fired at the target that had caused the maneuver. Their frames moved in perfect synchronization. Orion led them down the Hall's slope towards Megatronus knew not what. The larger mech was simply living for the moment, glorying in every shared movement. For once he had a clear goal, something other than himself to fight for, and it filled him with a sense of power he had never felt in the gladiator ring. _

_A shout from his partner drew his attention from the glory of the moment and red optics focused on an oddly glowing device. Understanding dawned and the warrior raised his weapon and fired. The device shattered in an explosion of sparks and suddenly the room fell oddly silent as the Elite Guard mechs staggered and collapsed to the floor. Megatronus spun as a sudden movement caught his attention and an odd egg shaped technoorganic with five sets of faceplates fled out of the chamber, he considered perusing but Orion was intently leaning over the largest prone form on the tables._

"_Sentinel Prime," the red and blue mech was saying with reverence, "save your strength I will summon a medic." _

"_No, there is much I must tell you young one," the prone form murmured weakly. _

_Megatronus was torn between the desire to listen in and the tactical need to secure the area. His combat protocols won out and the larger mech began to circle the chamber warily, keeping his optics peeled for any sign of the technoorganic invaders. He noted when the head of the Great Hall's Guard staggered up and went to stand over Orion and felt a fierce stab of protective jealousy but the gilded mech seemed only concerned with the Prime who lay on the table. The invaders appeared to have fled and the confused and disorientated Guard's mechs seemed perfectly willing to follow Megatronus's orders, a somewhat disturbing but helpful circumstance. He had reestablished a perimeter when Orion approached him with the Head of the Guard following._

"_I must thank you for your assistance Gladiator," the massive mech rumbled with a bow. "I am Ultra Magnus. Were it not for your timely intervention the Quintessions would no doubt have succeeded in their attempt to reprogram the senators and even Sentinel Prime." _

"_Quintessions?" Megatronus demanded in shock. "They are a myth!"_

"_Then that myth still stains your blades with its fluids," the massive Guardian replied drolly. "But we have little time. The two of you must begin immediately if Cybertron is to be saved."_

"_Begin what?" the Gladiator demanded suspiciously. _

"_Megatronus," Orion interjected suddenly laying a hand on the curving shoulder guard. "You have already gone far beyond what I could have ever expected you to my brother. I have received a task from the Prime and must complete it but it would be most likely best if you were to stay here and assist with guarding the."_

"_No," Ultra Magnus interjected as firmly as he could while he staggered against the wall. "The Prime tasked you both with this duty, and while we are more than fit to protect the Senate I highly doubt you would survive the trial on your own Archivist." _

_A derisive exvent drew the two mechs' attention to where the gladiator stood easily._

"_I have witnessed how well you protect your Prime," the silver mech sneered, to his surprise there was not a flicker of indignation on the Elite Guardsmech's faceplates, "they would be far better off to hole up in the lower pits of Kaon," at this point Megatronus was rather disconcerted to note a thoughtful look enter the blue optics at the insult. This Ultra Magnus was not an easy mech to rile. Dismissing the Elite for the moment the gladiator turned his attention to the only mech in the cavernous hall that truly mattered and gripped the servos that still rested on his shoulder._

"_Orion; I know not what you have planned but I can tell from the look in your optics that you will not be dissuaded. Know this, where you go so go I. You are far too foolish to be left to your own devices, and far too stubborn to be stopped."_

_Cerulean blue optics shuttered rapidly and a smile of joy broke through the cloud of uncertainty that had seemed to hover over Pax. Something inside Megatronus surged at the expression and he felt a fierce grin form on his own faceplates in response. The cunning mech did not need Shockwave's stiff voice ringing through his comm. link to tell him this was madness; that he might be throwing away all the careful time and planning they had put into building his movement. _

_He sent harsh commands back to his waiting allies as he and Orion slipped from the Council Chamber. As a gladiator in the dark pits of Kaon he had rose to his current position by seizing the rare moments of potential. Opportunity was presenting itself here and he needed to act; he was trusting the same instinctive programming that had carried him this far, the silver mech assured his seconds. But he was not entirely certain who he was trying to convince._

_Ruby red optics lingered on Orion's shoulder guards as he followed the red and blue mech down the concealed corridor Magnus had shown them and he felt a stab of concern. The archivist's frame was sturdy but the armor was thin by any standard applied to combat. The plates that protected the sensitive joining of arm and frame were merely enough to ensure protection form grime. Never one to over analyze his own motivations the gladiator simply allowed his processor to shift the priority level of his objectives in accordance with what his spark desired. The trail ahead was dark and unsure, but the warrior gripped his weapon firmly and whispered a vow to the creator he had long ignored._

"_What was that Megatronus?" Orion Pax asked turning to look at him._

"_Continue without fear my brother," the larger mech rumbled. "Whatever may come I will protect you."_

_O_

_O_

"What had Sentinel assigned you?" Jack asked when Megatron fell silent again.

"I did not know at the time. It was only when we reached the very core of the planet that I fully understood. The Quintessions had compromised not just the senate but all of Cybertron when they attempted to reprogram Sentinel Prime. He recognized this, and he somehow recognized the latent potential in Orion. He knew that only a direct blessing from Primus would satisfy a frightened and besieged populous. So he sent us down into the very depths of Cybertron. To relate the journey we took would require far longer than we have my son. Suffice it to say we faced many challenges together. My respect for my brother only grew, but I did learn that his greatest enemy was often himself. He actually attempted to reason with a driller at one point," the fighter jet gave an amused vent at that, "but eventually we arrived."

O

O

_Megatronus had held onto the thought that it was some ancient super computer they were coming to access; held onto it right up until the point that Orion Pax stepped into the glow of Primus. Then the mech knew. He felt his spark shudder as his pride tried to hang onto the last vestiges of the worldview he had built to justify his many plans and machinations but he realized that to follow Orion he must shed those. Feeling fear such as he had never known he stepped into the light._

_O_

_O_

The deep silence of space filled the fighter jet's cockpit for a long stretch before Megatron continued. Jack desperately wanted to ask what the mech had seen and experienced but some innate sense held him back from prying.

"You know the consequences for my brother. I did not lose him to that great Light, but when he emerged he was so much more than before."

"You were changed as well," the human youth stated softly finally allowing his extra sense to focus on the gleaming spark behind him; how he had ever mistaken that bright light for the twisted spark of his 'verse's Megatron he did not know.

"Yes," the Warlord stated softly. "Neither of us left that chamber the same. When we arrived in due time back on the surface we were met by Magnus and the rest of the Elite Guard. The took us to the remains of the Council and Sentinel. With the last of their authority they named my brother Optimus Prime and myself the Lord Protector of Cybertron. Before they had even completed the ceremony the first wave began to bomb the location. Ultra Magnus ordered me to take the new Prime to safety. Optimus of course refused to leave the senators to their fate; I was forced to persuade him of the wisdom of the Guardsmech."

Jack gave a short chuckle at that and Megatron responded in kind but his tone immediately grew somber.

"That was the true beginning of the Great War. The Quintessions were cunning and rarely attacked us directly. The sent mercenaries after us, poisoned our energon supplies, and rained destruction down on us from afar. Their worst attacks were on our minds though. Their propaganda could twist the truth and any mech who fell into their clutches was turned into a weapon against his fellow Cybertronians. I fought when the enemy was clear and Optimus guided us with his wisdom when they were not so obvious, but so long as we stood together Cybertron did not fail."

"But it did," Jack stated softly.

The human felt the wave of pain and shame flow through the great mech and nearly retched from the sensation. He blocked off his mind and prayed that Megatron had not noticed.

"Pride," the Cybertronian snarled. "It was my own pride and foolish jealously that slew my brother. The populous of our world loved their Archivist turned Prime. They honored me as well but it seemed that they never quite forgot that I was merely a miner and a gladiator out of Kaon," Megatron paused and laughed bitterly. "Perhaps I was correct about them, but I have come to realize that it was myself who could not forget my origins and constantly held them up to that of my higher framed brother. Then came one of the cunning attacks the enemy was so fond of. Optimus stayed to defend Kaon and I led what was left of the Seekers against a feint over Polyhelix," another shudder ran through Megatron's frame as he summoned the memory files to the surface, still raw and painful after so many eons. "We easily fought off the feint. I knew then that the main attack would be on the capital at Kaon, but I lingered over the mop up operation, telling the Seekers we needed to be certain of the enemy's defeat. I suspected it only to be one of the usual mercenary attacks on the Capital, I expected Optimus to be pressed. My plan was to wait until his defeat seemed possible and then sweep in to the rescue, earning the renewed worship of the crowd, the one thing I missed form the time before I was the Lord Protector. My first clue that something was wrong was when I felt unbelievable pain sear through my spark. I flew with all speed back to Kaon, but it was too late. Optimus, my brother, my Prime lay graying on the ground while the accursed Quintessions swarmed gleefully over him. Ah, raise your shields my son," the mech's tone suddenly changed as his awareness turned inward and he noted that Jack was curled up and shivering. "This is one of the reasons I have never told you, or rather your alternate, this tale."

"I'm fine," Jack gasped out resting a hand on the smoother mesh of the cockpit interior. "You can go on if you want to."

"Perhaps there will be time for more history later my son, but for now we have arrived."

"Arrived?" the raven haired youth asked glancing out at a suddenly starless darkness.

"The _Arc_," Megatron explained. "The last ship to evacuate Cybertron after the Fall."


	10. Arc

**Prism 10**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Arc**

"He shrunk?" the broad shouldered ginger stared at Jackson Darby skeptically, dark hazel eyes flashing with barely suppressed amusement.

"Looks like it," a deep voice rolled over both the humans from about two stories higher. A dull grey mech leaned casually against the glaringly orange wall of the vessel and smirked down at the two humans. "So I take it Preceptor's little experiment didn't work out quite as planned Your Highness?"

"No it, wait what?" Jack asked squinting up at the Seeker in confusion.

The oddly colored mech snorted and shook his helm.

"Apparently it messed with his brain as well. Come on Vince, let's get to the commissary. You need to eat up. Training's at oh-eight hundred hours."

"You bet TC. Seriously, wipe that blank look off your face, it's not becoming for someone with a name like Megatronus."

Jack stared in astonishment after the pair as they somehow managed to swagger in step down the Cybertronian sized hall. No small feat considering their size differences. A rumble in the human's midsection drew his attention and he hurried after them.

Megatron had been pounced on by Soundwave, who was exactly the same as Jack remembered him from their few meetings in his world, and swept off to some confab with his officers. The Warlord had briskly set the human on the floor with an order to go eat and then wait in their quarters. Not wanting to draw the attention of the unfamiliar mechs who his brain still couldn't help but identify as Cons, Jack had wandered the halls for a bit looking for a computer terminal. That was when he had bumped into Vince.

The sandy haired human had been striding down an intersecting corridor glaring at a human sized data pad when they collided. Jack wouldn't have recognized his schoolmate at all if not for his voice. Quite simply the school bully he had known was a completely different person. In this reality Vince stood several inches taller than Jack and had a well muscled frame to match his height. He wore a grey flight suit with the seams and pockets done in rusty-orange, a counterpart to the Seeker's coloring Jack realized. The other youth's hands were large and hardened, covered in the small scars and marks that only came from a lifetime of hard physical labor.

"Wait!" the raven haired youth called out. "I'll come with you."

Vince glanced back at him in surprise and then up at his companion. The Seeker shrugged and stopped walking to wait for the smaller human to catch up.

"Why aren't you in with the officer's meeting anyway?" the ginger asked curiously as they started again.

"I needed to eat," Jack explained catching his breath and unsure of how much of his story he should spread around, "hungry."

"Don't they just usually bring you something into the meeting?"

"I guess," Jack replied hesitantly.

"Probably thought His Highness needed some down time after whatever Preceptor put him through," the Seeker rumbled a taunting note in his voice.

Vince frowned at Jack and gave him a light punch to the shoulder.

"Seriously Jack, are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," the other insisted. "Why?"

"Well usually you and Thundercracker would be going for each other's throats by now."

"I just don't feel like it," Jack muttered.

Megatron had not ordered him to keep quiet about the switch, in fact the Warlord had been rather vague on how they were going to handle his interactions with the rest of this universe, but some instinct kept the youth from giving out the details. Vince however seemed satisfied with his answer and continued down the corridor. The redhead however kept glancing at Jack curiously and with growing annoyance. Jack shifted uncomfortably under the hazel eyes and finally stopped.

"What?" the raven haired youth demanded.

"Seriously? Did the experiment fry your internal comm. that bad?" Vince demanded.

"What?" Jack repeated, more than a bit confused.

"You are right my Found. I am not even getting a coherent ping back from his nanites. Only a vague wideband broadcast," the Seeker rumbled from above, kneeling down to examine Jack. "I would suggest that you see Ratchet about this soon."

"You seriously didn't notice that your comm. was down?" Vince asked skeptically.

Jack filed away the thought that here he had an entire communications system in his head apparently for later consideration and merely grinned.

"Well I thought it would come back on its own. I'll see Ratchet after I eat."

"You will see me now," a gruff voice ordered suddenly causing all three beings to jump.

"Oh come on Hatchet, let the kid refuel," Thundercracker grumbled.

"You will fetch him a meal from the commissary," the medic snapped snatching up Jack without preamble. "I need to analyze whatever trouble he is having with his nanites."

"Hey! We are the elite warriors of the Alliance; not common waiters."

"I will be discussing sensitive information with Young Megatronus and do not wish our conversation disturbed by anymech less than elite," the Medic growled as he turned and stormed down the hall. "I will also require your elite," and Jack heard mild sarcasm in the tone, "services after I am done with him."

Leaving the two to get the food Ratchet walked briskly towards his goal.

"What's this about an internal comm.?" Jack demanded as soon as they were out of range.

"In this reality you have possessed internal circuitry allowing you to communicate with Megatron, or any mech for that matter, over Cybertronian frequencies."

"Megatron had circuitry implanted in my head?" the human demanded in shock.

Ratchet gave him a sharp look before answering.

"Indeed, not a crudely as you are no doubt imagining I wager. It is much the same as the system which I assume your Optimus Prime had installed in you."

"But I don't have any Cybertronian circuits," the youth protested as they swung into a massive room that could only be the medical bay and Ratchet deposited him on the counter.

Wordlessly the red and white mech scooped up a tool and lightly touched it to the side of Jack's neck. A brief flush of tingling ran across the human's skin and he blinked in understanding.

"Oh, the nanobots, but they aren't really a comm. unit."

"Perhaps not," the medic replied with a grunt as he angled a scanning device to inspect the raven haired youth. "Nevertheless they behave the same way as the system which acts as a communication port in your alternate when stressed. I am disturbed that I did not note the difference when I completed your earlier scan."

"Their defense mechanism is to retreat inside my cells right?" Jack asked. "It must be hard to locate and scan them when they're surrounded by all those carbon bonds."

"Indeed, but the scanners I designed are more than capable of detecting even subtle genetic shifts. They would have spotted the divergence had I directed them to. No, this error can only be attributed to my own complacency. I was expecting to see nanites and I saw nanites."

A small smirk threatened to break Jack's composure as he listened to the medic sigh on about his supposed failure. The youth turned his attention to studying the medical bay. There were several Cybertronian sized berths taking up most of the space and a cluster of human medical beds in one corner. All of the equipment was carefully labeled in English and Cybertronian. The walls were a soothing blue-grey and the indirect lighting glowed brightly from bands in the ceiling. A tall door led into another room on the far side of the medbay. Jack was jerked out of his contemplations when Ratchet briskly grabbed his head and pressed something icy cold to his neck.


	11. Explanations

**Prism 11**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Explanations **

"Hey!" Jack shouted, twisting away from the syringe the medic had used. "What was that?"

"I was simply replenishing you nanite supply," the red and white Cybertronian replied serenely as he turned to replace the device in its compartment. "It will take a few moments for your cells to accept them. Once that happens I will instruct you on how to use them, until that time there are things we need to discus."

"Wait! You just added nanites to me?"

"As I said the first time," Ratchet stated archly.

"Where I come from it is considered impolite to make permanent body modifications without permission," the human snapped.

Ratchet narrowed his optics at the youth and hummed thoughtfully.

"Jackson, I am sorry if I have offended you but you need this comm. unit to function on this ship. And it is very important that you do function. Megatron was perhaps not thinking quite clearly when he set you on your own so quickly and without instruction. The events of the past hours have rattled him to his very spark. Otherwise he would have made certain that you understand just how important you really are."

"Me?" Jack asked skeptically. "Even if I am some hotshot warrior in this reality, you have other ones. I mean Vince looks uber-confidant."

The medic held out his hand to the human and Jack scrambled up. Ratchet turned and started for the door to the second room.

"Your name young one; do you know what it is in this reality?"

"Jackson Darby Megatronus," the youth answered hesitantly his voice catching on the last name earning another sharp look from the healer.

"You bear the name of our Lord Protector," the medic stated, "the one being alive who has been directly blessed by Primus himself, the last tie to our fallen Prime, our last true hope of salvation. Megatron told you that Cybertron was tainted?"

"Ah, not exactly."

"With their final attack the Enemy poisoned the very core of our planet. No longer could it sustain the flow of life giving energon that allowed out population to live, no longer would the Well of Allsparks produce new offspring, we were a dead race and we knew it. That more than anything spelled our defeat. What point was there in fighting on when there would be no new generations to preserve our memory and continue our lineage? The very act of imprinting on new sparklings was counted a critical part of becoming a fully integrated member of the great Cybertronian machine, now there was an entire generation who would never know that joy."

Ratchet paused and shook his helm as he triggered the wall pad for the door. Jack glanced down and noted a smaller human sized one close to the ground. Through the door was what was obviously the medic's private office. The human blinked in surprise at the shelves cluttered with datapads, heavy medical tomes, and all sorts of medical paraphernalia both Cybertronian and human.

"Somehow, and Primus help me I will never know how, Megatronus found the strength to go on. It was then that he changed his name. Megatronus was the name of a Prime, he said, and one his failure had proven him unfit to carry, but we could not stop calling our Lord Protector by his name. Eventually we simply shortened it. I think he blamed himself for not being there during the final attack. It had nearly shattered his spark when Optimus died, from then on there was this cold fire in his optics. No mech could get close to him, he accepted no comfort from even his closest allies, but we all respected that flame. Its light was what sustained us when we fled into the darkness of space, leaving our beloved home to the Enemy. Megatron thought that Cybertron would satiate them, that we could fall back and regroup to retake the planet later, but it was not the planet they wanted, it was us; slaves to run their empire. They perused us across galaxies. Always Megatron was there, the first to attack, the last to retreat. To the scattered masses he became an invincible figurehead, the Blade of Primus as it were, but I could see it eating away at him."

Ratchet set Jack down on his desk and sunk into the bench behind it with a tired exvent. His blue optics were pale and focused far off.

"I watched the guilt and bitterness build with each battle. I knew we could not go on like this but he seemed to be caught in a never ending cycle of combat. I had our master tacticians devise a plan. There was one planet noted in the record; a little organic ball of carbon and water where we had stashed much energon and many supplies at the start of the war."

"Earth," Jack guessed.

"Indeed. We presented the plan to Megatron. Make a hard and fast retreat here, then a decisive strike at retaking Cybertron bolstered by the supplies we would find. But as always the Quintessions were ahead of us. They arrived years in advance and attempted to get your people to destroy themselves through nuclear war, but they were not able to manipulate humans as they did Cybertronians so they simply resorted to an outright attack. The strain of defending this world at the same time as retrieving the energon and artifacts was great and we were unable to launch the counter offensive on Cybertron."

The medic let out a tired exvent and rubbed his faceplates.

"Megatron has told you the rest I believe? Good then I will skip the historical details and get to the important part. I was terrified. I was so certain that without a decisive victory Megatron's will, that force that had kept us going for so long would fail, and yet it didn't. In fact despite everything, reports coming in from all over the galaxy of our positions being overrun, he only seemed to grow stronger. He began recalling all troops to Sol System. This was to be our new beachhead. He made alliances with the powers of Earth. I wondered most at this. Our glorious leader had never had much respect for other species; let alone organics, but my answers came with the Second Wave. As usual when the attack came Megatron was fighting at our head, but he fell back far too soon, relinquishing command to Commander Jazz. I was right to be concerned. His armor had been badly damaged and it did not take me long to find the reason for his weakness."

Jack shifted nervously as the intense blue optics burned into him and the human felt he should know the answer.

"You," the medic stated flatly. "The fiercest warrior ever sparked on Cybertron. The mech who had laid waste to countless enemies, brought half off-line to my medbay because he had imprinted on an organic sparkling."

"The armor softens to match the sparkling mesh," Jack murmured softly.

"Precisely," the medic huffed.

"So that makes me a liability," the raven haired youth stated in confusion, "not important."

"By the Matrix! Can't you see?" Ratchet demanded smacking the table in exasperation. "Haven't you been listening? That was the first imprinting that had occurred in eons, and it had happened not just to any mech but the Primus blessed Lord Protector! It was not exactly you but rather the bond itself. Never in all the recorded history of Cybertron had such a thing occurred, but here it was. Many took it as a sigh that Earth was to be our new home, many that with your aid we would retake Cybertron. Of course by then the Founds had proven their worth in battle but it was you who legitimized Megatron's decision to defend Earth. Before that our mechs and femmes had only been following orders, now they fought for a cause. Since then there have been other imprintings, human orphans are all too common, but you were the first, our shining hope."

Jack glanced away from the intense gaze of the medic and nodded his head slowly. It was all too much to take in really so he focused on what he would have to do.

"So you want me to pretend to be your Jack until you can switch us back?" he guessed. "That's why you snatched me away from the Seeker?"

"No," Ratchet huffed in annoyance. "If you are anything at all like your counterpart it would be utterly pointless to ask you to tell a successful lie. But it would be best if you did not mention that you and Megatron are less than family in your reality."

"I understand," the human replied and a wry smile twisted his lips, "and if it makes you feel any better I am probably the human Megatron is closest to in my universe as well."

They were interrupted as the doors swept open to reveal the grey and orange Seeker with the ginger human perched easily on his shoulder. Ratchet jerked up to snap something about door protocol to the mech but Jack was far too distracted by the smells emanating from the cardboard Vince was carrying to hear the medic. The taller human handed over the food and watched disinterestedly as the raven haired youth ripped into the burger and fries. Jack noted the redhead narrow his eyes again but this time the sensation that filled his head made him choke on a mouthful of food. Vince gave his back a hearty smack while Jack worked to clear his lungs.

"What was that?" he demanded pawing at a growing bump just below his right ear.

Ratchet lightly smacked away his hand with a single servo and gave a snorting exvent.

"That was a com signal. No doubt the Found wanted to crack wise without me hearing."

Jack made a mental note to ask what a Found was while he fought the urge to explore the protrusion on his neck.

"Really Megatronus," Thundercracker rumbled in amusement, "I hear the accident frazzled you but you taught most of the Founds how to use internal comm. systems."

*Can you understand me now?*

"Woah!" Jack jumped and looked around frantically.

The Seeker and Vince were beginning to give him suspicious looks and Jack backed frantically towards Ratchet.

"Medic?" Thundercracker growled.

"As you no doubt suspect," Ratchet stated calmly. "This is not in fact the Jackson Darby Megatronus that you know."

*Then who is he?* came the strange disembodied voice in Jack's head.

This time however the human was able to note Vince as the origin point and differentiate some of the strange sensations as Cybertronian glyphs and human text.

"He is from an alternate dimension," the medic explained curtly pushing the youth towards the other human. "I am assigning the two of you to keep him out of trouble until we find a way to reverse the ground bridge malfunction that brought him here. First order of business; teach him how to use the comm. system. Now I have to get back to work. Shoo, shoo!"


	12. Entanglements

**Prism 12**

**Entanglements **

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

Thundercracker glanced down at the two stunned humans on Ratchet's desk and shrugged. He scooped them both up without preamble and sauntered out of the medical bay. His Found relaxed into his servos but the other human continued squirming; not as if he were trying to escape but as a new recruit might, unsure of his position in the mech's large hands. The Seeker let out an annoyed exvent and shook his helm. He still wasn't quite sure he believed that this youth came from another dimension but the explanation fit what facts he knew. He set aside a file to remind himself to ask Starscream about it as he shifted his grip to a carry hold more suitable for a new Foundling.

*So different dimension?* Vince asked once he felt that the smaller human was secure. *How'd that happen?*

Jack started at the inrush of confusing images that accompanied the words. He could not see the other human from his position. There were no emotions cared over the link but the timing of the sentence suggested skepticism and the raven haired youth recognized one of the glyphs that accompanied the words as a form of amusement in Cybertronian.

"How are you doing that?" he demanded.

*Nanites,* the ginger replied with a flicker of the glyph for casual intent, *integrated with the neurons on the edges of our central nervous system. Hey TC, shift me so I can see Megatronus.*

Jack started a bit. It was still very strange to be called by the name of the enemy but he shoved that thought back. The mech had changed the position of his servos so Jack was looking up at Vince. The redhead was standing with one boot on Thundercracker's smallest servo and leaning back against the vertical grey palm with an arm thrown casually over the giant thumb.

"So how do I do it?" the youth asked.

*Huh,* the glyph for amusement flickered through the noise.

"What's so funny?" Jack demanded a bit irritably.

*I already told you. It was you in this universe that taught all of us. Just try to send me something.*

Jack closed his eyes and concentrated. He could sense the energy of the nanites in his skull but when he tried to focus on them and give them an order nothing happened.

*No, you're doing it wrong. I can tell you're trying to give them an order like with a computer interface. That doesn't work anymore than it would to move your thumb. It'll come naturally. For now just listen to me and get a feel for it.*

"Okay," Jack glanced around at the bright blue corridor, "so where are we going?"

"My trine quarters," the mech rumbled. "Warp will get a kick out of seeing you and Pej would have my spark if I didn't bring you first thing."

A wave of glyphs flooded through Jack's mind as Vince let out a sudden guffaw. The youth winced and pushed back at the flood of information.

-Deactivate comm.?-

The text appeared in his mind as if he had just read it off a computer screen and Jack blinked in surprise.

"Yes," he said with relief.

-Comm. deactivated.-

He relaxed in the following silence until Vince gave a snort.

"Hey, turn it back on. You need to practice, but it's good you figured it out that fast. Maybe you really are you."

Jack grunted and focused on the feeling that had accompanied the text, suddenly.

-Activate comm.?-

_Yes,_ he thought firmly.

*So, like I said just listen to me and eventually you'll feel how to respond. I figure you have questions.*

"Oh yeah," Jack laughed settling back into the Seeker's palm and rubbing a hand self-consciously through his hair, "a lot of questions. Not in any particular order; what's a Found?"

Vince blinked at him in surprise and glanced over at Thundercracker. The smaller human got the idea that they were communicating silently.

*You don't have Founds in your universe?* the ginger finally demanded.

"I don't know. We could. What does it mean?"

*That's a story and a half! It all started just before Lord Megatron got to Earth. The destruction of the major cities meant that the balance of power had shifted and a lot of the smaller nations became important or fell into chaos as they were flooded with refugees. Anyway there were these islands and the Quint's mercenaries set up a base there but the humans rebelled. Commander Starscream flew out the offer support to the resistance fighters and got shot down over the largest island. He was pretty messed up but the thick vegetation hid him from the enemy. Came back online cuz something was thumping his helm. There was this little human standing over his head smacking him with a stick.*

The tone of the story shifted and Jack got the feeling that he was listening to a well rehashed tale; something that had been told many times. Vince's face had become animated and glyphs and even images were coming with the story over the data stream now.

*It demanded what he was doing there and threatened to stab him with its Daddy's big knife if he didn't say. Well I told you Screamer was pretty messed up? All he could reply with at the time was, 'I'm Seeking,'. So the little organic tilts its head to the side and thinks. Then it says, 'I'm found!'. The kid, Pejuang, led Starscream to a cave where they hid out for several days until the searchers gave up. Screamer got really impressed with the kid's courage and resourcefulness in that time. When they finally did meet the other humans Pejuang's Dad turned out to be the leader of the resistance fighters and the spunky little brat became the First Found. The Island group was the first place to drive out the invaders and it became a sort of base for the Seekers and a central location for the human resistance. Since Warp wants whatever Screamer has he got a Found next; some kid from Australia, and TC picked me up out of Jasper, Nevada for some reason.*

"Because at the age of twelve you had been caring and providing for your family. I needed the tactical advantage a Found provided and you were superior among your peers," the tall mech stated flatly but with faint pride lacing his tone.

*Don't I know it,* Vince grinned at the praise and examined his nails.

A glyph that Jack was pretty sure stood for smugness drifted over his comm. and he pushed back at it in mild irritation. Vince nodded at him and grinned.

*That's it! Just work up from there and you'll have this down in no time.*

"So, this guy Pejuang," Jack stopped as the ginger gave a snort of amusement but continued, "he's Commander Starscream's partner, you're Thundercracker's, and Warp?"

"Skywarp," the Seeker rumbled as they entered was acted like an elevator. "The third of our trine."

"Okay trine?"

*Sheesh? Don't you know anything?* Vince demanded. *Seekers form trines. They crawl out of the Well of Allsparks in matched sets and they stay that way for life! But Warp's Found is named Guy Green, he's the oldest from our trine, great sort of fellow.*

"What about Pejuang?"

The Seeker and his found exchanged a smirk that Jack did not like and a wide grin split Vince's face.

*Pejuang is kind of hard to explain. The name means warrior and it fits to a tee, but it's best if you find out more on your own.*

"Fair enough I guess. So this makes me a Found too?"

Thundercracker let out a snort and Vince shook his head.

*Only Seekers have Founds. There's something about the trine bond that allows them to bond closely with humans without actually forming a sparkling bond. No, you are the precious sparkling of the great and might Lord Protector Megatron. You are way more special than a Found.*

Jack studied the glyphs that flowed with the words and was surprised to find mocking and true deep respect intermixed equally in the flood of information.

"We're here," the tall mech suddenly stated as they rounded the corner and stopped in front of a grey door.

It was covered in a colorful display of hazardous material and radiation warnings in human and Cybertronian. Jack glanced nervously at Vince and the ginger rolled his eyes and sent a wave of glyphs signaling resigned annoyance over the comm.

*Pej, and Guy's taste in décor.*

"Oh."

The Found scampered up to the Seekers shoulder, freeing up his servos to key the door pad. Thundercracker stepped into the dark room and Jack glanced around curiously. He could see the form of another grey Seeker sprawled out on a berth with one hand covering something on his chestplates. The human found himself lightly deposited on a shelf that ran around the room. He was about to inquire if something was wrong with the very still Seeker when someone came out of the darkness and launched into him. Strong arms wrapped around his neck and a lithe female body slammed him against the wall. Soft lips pressed against his demandingly and he was nearly over whelmed by a warm earthy scent.

*Vince!* he sent out frantically. *What? Help!*


	13. Engagements

**Prism 13**

**Engagements**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

*Whoops! Did we forget to mention that Pejuang was a girl?* Vince sent a wave of glyphs indicating his innocence.

*Get her off of me! I can't breathe!*

Only rumbling laughter was his response but the woman let out a gasp, pulled slightly away, and looked at Jack in confusion.

"Woah there my man, since when is a friendly little welcome to rough for da big boy Megatronus?"

Her voice was familiar but exotic at the same time. A thick accent he couldn't quite place colored her English and it was hard to concentrate with her pressed up tightly against him like she was.

"I'm sorry, I'm not, I mean," Jack was gasping out.

"Oh my poor Kekasih! What did that mad scientist do to you? No matter, you are back with me and I am going to make it all better! Screamer is at the debriefing now so we got four, five hours at least. How bout we start with a back rub?"

"Wait!" Jack shot a frantic look over at Thundercracker and Vince but deduced from the wide grins they were both sprouting that there was no help coming from that direction. "I'm not Jack! I mean I'm not your Jack. I'm from an alternate dimension!"

The woman stepped back and placed a fist on her hip with a snort. Jack got a better look at her. She was slightly shorter than he was with a long braid of dark hair and wearing a flight suit identical to the one Vince had on. There was something distinctly familiar about her but the dim light concealed her features.

"Really Jack? This is a poor joke."

*No joke Pej,* Vince interjected, *the ground bridge malfunction swapped out your Jack for this little one.*

The raven haired youth felt a surge of annoyance and was about to snap at Vince over the 'little one' comment when he found himself sitting on the floor with stars dancing around his vision.

"What?" he demanded.

"You creeper!" the woman was snarling into his face. "How could you let me fawn all over you like that knowing you weren't my man? I ought to toss you out the nearest airlock. Where is my Kekasih? You better bring him back or else I am gonna smack you clear into the next dem, hey!"

The tirade was cut off as the lights suddenly flicked on and a dark form appeared behind Pejuang grabbing her upraised fist.

"Easy there girl," a soft but powerful voice murmured. "I think you might want to listen to what the man has to say."

"Let me go Guy. I have to rain vengeance down upon this deceiver!"

"Ah, because he was the one who jumped on you and started feeling you up?"

"Well no, but."

"And he has clearly been planning this since the random accident ripped him from his home universe."

"Ugh! I give up," she snarled twisting out of the large man's grasp. "But you better not try anything!"

With that final warning the woman jumped down to an empty berth and stalked over to an alcove containing a computer and a hammock. Jack stared after her in bewilderment, her honey colored eyes seeming to burn into his mind.

"Hey," a gentle Australian accent inquired, "you okay there mate?"

"Guy Green?" Jack asked accepting the massive calloused hand that was proffered to him.

"The one and only! Sorry about Pej; she can get a little intense," a warm grin composed of flashing white teeth broke out across a weathered caramel brown face.

"I can see that. She kind of reminds me of…Wait, Miko?" the raven haired youth suddenly gasped.

"Who's Miko?" the woman demanded coldly sticking her head out from around the alcove.

"You are!" Jack stated. "I mean I think that's your name in my dimension, and you're smaller."

Slowly and carefully, like a panther stalking prey, the female came up to him again. Despite this sudden revelation; or perhaps because of it Jack was glad for the large comforting mass of Guy beside him.

"So you just didn't recognize me?" she demanded.

"Well, you come from Indonesia, Pontianak specifically, you're fifteen, your coloring is right, and so is your attitude," Jack hesitated there trying to decide how much of her personal life to go into. "I mean that's the story of the girl in my verse."

"I'm sixteen, closer to seventeen," she snapped.

"Well, okay. You weren't too sure about your exact birthday. So that's right."

The woman glared at him a moment then began to circle him.

"You look soft," she growled, "like you grew up somewhere peaceful."

"Yeah, no Quintessons where I come from," he stated as he turned to keep an eye on her.

"Really," she flexed her fingers and something caught the youth's attention.

"You're engaged?" he asked surprised looking at the glittering gemstone on her left hand.

"Duh! To you idiot!"

O

O

"This individual poses a clear threat to our security," the calm emotionless voice was beginning to grate on Megatron's processor.

Not that that was anything new. The tactician that was standing so calmly before him was infamous for irritating even the friendliest of mechs.

"Prowl, I am aware of the risks," the Warlord stated, "however in order to retrieve our own Jackson it is important that we keep this alternate close to our research facilities."

"Be that as it may I suggest you limit your interactions with this human. As much as he resembles your sparkling he is not. I fear however that your personal feelings might compromise your reason in the case of."

Megatron let out a snarl interrupting the black and white mech and shot to his peds. No words were spoken but the ruby optics glittered with ill suppressed rage. Prowl narrowed his own blue optics and assumed a submissive pose, but he didn't back down.

"As long as the boy is in this dimension he is under my protection and will be treated as if he was my sparkling," the massive mech growled. "I appreciate that we cannot entrust him with the same codes and freedoms that my own Megatronus was. Thus he is not here at this meeting. However no restrictions are to be put on him that would not be put on a new Foundling. Is that understood Prowl?"

"Understood Lord Protector," the smaller mech replied dutifully.

The Warlord continued to glare at the tactician for a long moment before turning to his chief scientist.

"How are the defense projects coming along?"

Equally as emotionless as the smaller Prowl the massive purple mech turned his one gleaming red optic on his leader and began to describe the progress that had been made in the past year. It was as the mech had expected; good that more mechs than he had expected had arrived to boost their defenses, bad that the synthetic energon refineries were having trouble mass producing the needed liquid, and so very many unknowns. Megatron's optics strayed to the human officers sitting around the conference table and a small smile pulled at his faceplates. There was his defense against the unknowns, the random madness of an organic species; the greatest unknown of all.

The majority of his processor still paying attention to Shockwave's monologue the Warlord absently pinged his sparkling's comm. To his surprise the response was a prompt if confused jumble of data. He sent back a simple text response and felt an odd sense of pride well up in his spark. This might not be his Jack exactly but he was still an outstanding and adaptable human. Prowl was certainly not to be faulted for being suspicious, that was the tactician's job after all, but the war weary gladiator could feel to his very core that there was no more guile in this boy than in the other.

O

O

"So, what's Starscream like?" Jack asked quietly.

The raven haired youth was sitting in the edge of Thundercracker's berth. After a grunted greeting Skywarp had reclaimed his Found and Guy had gone back to sleep on the mech's chestplates. Vince and Thundercracker were off in one corner completing reports. Miko, no Pejuang , he reminded himself, was sprawled out with her head in his lap chatting away about everything and nothing in particular about this universe. Here apparently she had been found as an infant in a burning sector of her home city. The girl had grown up dodging through the subway tunnels and hunting the aliens sent to exterminate them. She had been raised as the warrior princess of a besieged people. The better nutrition had fueled her growth and made her larger, she was more trusting of her fellow man, but the fiery spirit was still the same. Now she stared up at him thoughtfully.

*Scream? He's my Seeker you know. He found me, like a second father he is. He's quiet, only speaks when something important needs to be said. He hurts a lot. See he was Air Commander when the Great Armada was destroyed by the Quints. Sometimes when I look into his optics,* the woman's voice faded and her eye unfocused, *sometimes I think I can see them dying over the skies of Cybertron. What's he like in your verse?*

Jack took a deep breath and pretended to be focusing on trying to use his comm. while he struggled to come up with something to say that wasn't a lie and wouldn't sound awful.

*Starscream, he has a knack for science.*

*Mine too! ~GENIUS~*

Jack smiled at her use of the glyph. He was learning to accept them and interpret them as easily as the words now even if he was having trouble forming them himself.

*Thundercracker and Skywarp aren't on earth yet. Our Starscream, I think he's off too. The war can't have been kind to him.*

*Hasn't he got his Found yet? I mean I know it's not your me, but he should have his by now," her honey colored eyes glanced up at him thoughtfully.

*No he's spent most of his time on the Nemesis.*

*So he survived the final retreat in your verse huh?*

*Starscream?*

*No, Trypticon.*

*Oh, yes except.*

*Yeah, right. No Quints, no retreat. I keep forgetting. Anyway in this verse old Trip and the Ark were covering the fleet that evacuated Cybertron. They were both too badly damaged to save; The Ark got its outer skin stripped off by energy discharges, Trip had his CPU crisped by some Quint super weapon. The Cys stripped his armor and rebuilt the other ship with it; renamed it the Arc, because it carried them away from Cybertron. So here we all are.*

*So when is this Second Wave supposed to happen?* Jack asked.

*No one knows; could be a hundred years from now, the first bombs could hit before we eat dinner. That's why it's so important that the data Megatron gathered gets processed by the eggheads like yesterday.*

*But he came to see me first,* Jack stated softly.

*What can I say?* the girl shrugged her shoulders. *The big lug loves you almost as much as I do.*

Jack blushed at that and the girl let out a hearty laugh.

*Sorry. I keep forgetting that you're not really my Jack!*

*I've been meaning to ask you about that. Why are we engaged so young?*

*Young? We're both sixteen and we're not actually getting hitched until eighteen.*

*So that's normal here?*

*Duh.*

*Actually it's a valid question Pej,* Vince interjected. *Mom used to talk to me about that. Back before the First Wave, when everything went crazy, it was normal for two people to wait till their late twenties to get married.*

*Lots of stuff was weird back then huh?*

*I guess,* Jack sent uncertainly.

Suddenly he stiffened as a new and powerful voice came over the comm.

*Jackson, the debriefing is over for now. Meet me in our quarters.*

*Okay Megatron,* the human replied.

He knew there was no threat from this mech, but he still couldn't avoid a slight twist in his gut when he thought of being alone with him. He made to stand up and Pejuang squawked in protest.

"Didn't you hear Megatron calling me?"

"No, he would have been using a private frequency," Vince explained with a yawn. "Well I need to get to bed anyway."

The tall grey mech stood and moved over to his berth, dislodging the two human's on it carelessly. Pejuang landed lightly on the floor in a crouch and stretched.

*Well let's go see Daddy Megs.*

*But he only asked for me.*

*I'm your faïence dude. Of course he meant me too.*

Jack looked at her oddly for a moment.

*What?*

*It's just he never mentioned you to me.*

A look that was far too innocent spread across her face and for a moment Jack was staring at Miko instead of the fierce warrior.

*Now why would that be?*


	14. Interactions

**Prism 14**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Interactions **

"What are you doing here?" the deep angry rumble filled the large room.

Jack stopped in his tracks and glanced hurriedly between the fierce glare on Megatron's faceplates and the smug smirk on Pejuang's lips.

"You called for dinner," the woman smiled sweetly.

That started a string of sharp replies between the human and the tall mech. Jack glanced nervously between them not quite understanding what was going on. If Megatron was truly displeased with the situation he would have her thrown out. These were his quarters besides him being her commander and chief. But never once in the string of sharp words did he order, or even request the young woman to leave. Neither was there any insulting or belittling on either side of the heated discussion. In fact it appeared that the two of them were simply attempting to assert the greater claim to his time.

"Um, hate to interrupt but I'm kinda hungry here," the youth finally interjected.

The two combatants separated with a huff and Megatron indicated a platform against one wall. It stood at about hip height to the mech and had stairways leading up to the top. Pejuang grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him eagerly up the steps. Megatron moved to collect a cube of glowing blue energon from a cabinet and sat down on a bench beside the platform with a sigh. He watched in concealed amusement as the young woman stopped in front of a basket filled with fruits, nuts, and preserved meats. She indicated the cushions beside the basket and ordered Jack to sit as she served them both. The raven haired youth obeyed in bemusement and the Warlord gave an amused exvent.

"So, what's the plan?" the woman finally demanded around a mouthful of dragon fruit. "How are we going to get my smoken hot man back and ditch this cheap knockoff?"

"Hey, I'm sitting right here you know," Jack snorted.

"Whoops," she replied rolling her honey gold eyes and scooting closer until their shoulders touched. "Didn't mean to leave you cold friend."

Jack shifted a bit uncomfortably at the close contact but was immediately distracted by Megatron's voice.

"Preceptor and Shockwave believe that they can repeat the process to send him home but it will take some time to reconfigure the system, even more to get a lock on our Jack."

"Look, I hate to be a kill-joy but how do we even know that our Jack is still alive?" Pejuang demanded harshly, sudden dark emotion flashing over her face.

Jack nearly choked on a hunk of bread and stared at the woman in shock. Megatron only let out a small growl as he sipped his energon.

"He is my sparkling human. Do you not think I would know if the light that sustains me had been extinguished?"

She sat back against Jack with a sigh and shook her head.

"I know that. I guess I just wanted to hear it aloud," she muttered kneading a grape to pulp between her fingers.

"Sounds like he's pretty important to you guys," the raven haired youth started nervously, immediately regretting it, the words sounded so hollow.

Megaton only looked at him however and Pejuang snorted.

"Of course, aren't you important to the ones who love you? Your Mom and the other me?"

"Yes, I suppose so," he confirmed. "But mainly I just keep you from doing crazy things in my verse."

"Seriously? Here you plan half the crazy things I do."

"You are more," Jack hesitated a bit, "mature than Miko. I'm sure whatever you do here you have orders for."

Rolling laughter from both the human and Megatron suddenly filled the room, causing Jack to jump and glance between them curiously.

"Commander Starscream's Found following orders. Now there is a unique thought," the Cybertronian barked out.

"Come on Jack," Pejuang grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "It's story time. Take off your boots."

"What?" he asked in confusion as he watched her bend over to remove her own footwear.

"Well it is considered rude to walk all over a mech with shoes on. Isn't that the same in your verse?"

"Well we interact less with Cybertronians in my world," he admitted but followed her orders.

"Say why are you being so tight lipped about where you come from anyway? We're all allies here."

"Simple caution child," Megatron growled as he took up a cross-legged position on the platform. "Something you could stand to imitate."

"Caution? Ha!" the young woman snorted out and leapt up his leg onto one thigh striking an aggressive pose. "I am the First Found of the Air Commander! Caution is not in my vocabulary!"

The warlord glared down at her but made no move to dislodge her. Jack hesitated a bit but followed her up onto Megatron's other thigh. The warm mesh of the Warlord's frame hummed with life as the mech bantered with the woman.

"So, story time?" Jack asked once he was settled.

"Indeed," Megatron turned his warm red optics on the youth and shifted slightly. "Normally after you eat we would discuss our plans for the defense of our home world; especially after such an important briefing, as that would do little good in this situation I thought it best to use the time to inform you of the situation we are in. While it is possible that there is indeed no Quintesson threat in your universe, if there is it is best you be forewarned."

Jack nodded and listened carefully as Megatron launched into a detailed account of everything that was known about the enemy. When the mech finally wound down a deep frown was etched in the human's face.

"That's it?" he asked. "I mean I'm grateful you shared this with me but, aside from the technical details, basically all that adds up to is that they hide in the shadows and manipulate others into fighting their battles for them."

"Wow, you really got that battle computer going kid," Pej drawled.

"Jackson is correct," the Warlord interrupted shooting her a furious glare. "We know for too little about our enemy. They occupied Cybertron for millennia when they took it eons ago but we remember little of that other than the suffering our ancestors endured. My own scouting only revealed the movements of their lackeys. As useful as that may be to us it offers little insight into the true enemy."

"Yeah Megs but that's why you got us humans. We cover that blind spot for you."

The mech looked like he was about to snarl a reprimand at the woman but Jack intervened.

"I've been meaning to ask about that. Seekers are the elite fliers of Cybertron. They are fierce warriors with ancient instincts and lighting reactions. What do they gain by having a human fighting with them? Wouldn't that just slow down their reaction time?"

Megatron inclined his helm to the woman and she pulled back her hair revealing a dark circle just below her ear.

"Reaction time? This port allows us to piggyback on their neural pathways. Literally speeds up our perception. Sure there is a time delay compared to how a pure Cybertronian would react but the other benefits more than make up for it. See, the Quints, they held Cybertron for generations, Cybertronian generations. They not only know Cy programming they freaking wrote most of it as it stands now. You heard how weak they are. Heck, even a human could best most in hand to servo. Their greatest strength is their understanding of the Cybertronians. They can predict what a mech will do before he does it. This was especially true for Seekers. The enemy had overwritten so much of the flier's code that they knew em better than the Seekers themselves. They also considered them the biggest threat."

"So when the war came the Seekers took the heaviest losses," Jack guessed softly.

"You're catching on kid," Pejuang stated grimly. "Entire armadas were decimated. Only the very best, or the absolutely crazy survived. Now we humans couldn't make the Seekers stronger, faster, or tougher, but we can sure as heck help out with the crazy, and when the Quint weapons take them offline we can step in and take over."

Jack blinked in shock; trying to imagine the vain Seeker he knew allowing a human to take his controls.

"But you have had along and eventful day my son," Megatron's deep rumbling voice interjected. "It is time for you to sleep."

Jack nodded as he tried to stifle a yawn and stiffened as long dark servos scooped him up not ungentley. Pejuang made a leap to try and reach his new perch but the Warlord easily caught the girl and held her far from the raven haired youth. The human male soon found himself laid in a hammock and subjected to the very strange sensation of being tucked in by his most trusted ally's sworn enemy. The stress of the day soon caught up with him and he drifted off to sleep.

He awoke briefly once to the soft chiming of the door and low voices. The lankier form of Starscream stood at attention beside Megatron with Pejuang crouched easily on his shoulder. Gone was the flippant young woman who had entertained him that evening. In her place was a predator, perched ready to strike. She was conversing with Megatron over a display screen. The tension that had existed between them when he was a factor in the conversation was not visible, replaced by a comfortable respect.

Jack couldn't see what was being shown but he got the gist of it being troop movements; specifically the Seekers. His eyed focused tiredly on the Air Commander and he found himself idly wondering what this Mech's relationship with Megatron was. There was none of the fawning servitude to be seen in the rigid stance, but none of the scheming traitor either. Pejuang would occasional reach back to stroke one of the Seeker's wings from her perch. He was wondering also why he had yet to hear a word out of the loquacious mech when he slipped back into sleep.


	15. Human Touch

**Prism 15**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Human Touch**

The days passed by in a strange blur for Jack. On the _Arc_ the lighting had been reformatted to mimic Earth's light cycles for the comfort and sanity of their human allies. The illumination brightened slowly over the day and then dimmed to moonlight. For the most part the human crewmembers went about their daily tasks sleeping and eating on this traditional schedule. Their Cybertronian counterparts, needing far less rest, kept the same shifts and simply altered their vision to infrared when needed.

The exceptions to this pattern were the Seekers and Founds. So important was the bond that they formed and so fragile that it needed to be constantly maintained. It was extremely rare for a pair to be away from each other for more than a few hours at a time. Pejuang and Commander Starscream were able to maintain longer times apart but their bond was older and stronger than any other. So during the necessary eight hours of sleep the Cybertronians would lie in specially made berths and hold their human allies while they slept. They used this time to file reports, engage in tactical simulations with the_ Arc's_ computers, and mentally prepare for the impending arrival.

Thundercracker proved to be a near limitless source of information. He willingly filled in the gaps in Jack's knowledge. Vince, the raven haired youth found to be somewhat annoying. The red-head was no doubt a skilled warrior in his own right, having gone with the Seeker into battle against the Quintession's scouts many times. He had an engaging personality, always had a ready smile for everyone, was a willing teacher to the inexperienced, and was good enough looking to catch the attention of the majority of the female crew. The problem was that the Found knew all of that all too well.

He had solved a mystery for Jack. Wondering what had become of Raf the raven haired youth had looked up Esquivel in the Jasper, Nevada public records but though he had no trouble finding Raf's family the boy himself seemed to simply not exist. He'd thought to ask Vince and the youths had put their heads together. Vince knew the family well and did not think they had lost any sons. However he pointed out that there were three daughters clustered closely around the age that Raf would have been, and had conception differed by even few hours or days it was quite likely that the youngest Esquivel had turned out to be a female rather than a male.

The other two Seekers in the trine were far less willing to talk. Jack at first had the impression that he had offended Skywarp somehow from the way the grey and green flier glared at him. But the human had quickly come to realize that anyone other than Guy received the same treatment. Starscream's cold reaction he had chalked up to the same jealousy that existed between Pejuang and Megatron but Thundercracker soon set him straight.

"My trine brother is actually quite fond of you," the largest Seeker explained as he watched Jack and Vince spar in the training room. "In fact it was for your sake that he even started speaking to Megatron again."

"What?" Jack gasped out staggering back from exchanging blows with the taller youth.

"The last battle before we accepted Cybertron was a lost cause Megatron had given Starscream the order to hold the skies over Kaon at all costs." Thundercracker's optics grew dim and a low hiss escaped his vents. "We failed," was all he said of the battle itself, "Starscream and Skywarp were captured. The Quints were thrilled to have the Air Commander at their mercy. They reprogrammed them and sent them back to attack us. Many of the remaining Seekers fell to our own leader before Megatron himself captured him and Warp, nearly offlineing in the process. Ratchet and Shockwave were able to mostly reverse the reprogramming but they were never the same afterwards. Warp; he talked more than Bluestreak and loved playing pranks more than anything. Starscream was closer to our leader than any other mech," here the mech rubbed a tired hand over his optics as if he could brush away the old images. "You've seen how Warp is now and Starscream refused to even look at Megatron."

"He couldn't forgive him for giving the order that got him captured?" Jack asked softly.

"No," the Seeker stated flatly staring off into space. "That was war. Starscream never held that against Megatron. After he was rescued from the Quints, when Ratchet was fighting to keep him online he was failing until Megatron came into the medbay. He grabbed Starscream by the neck strut and commanded him to stay on-line, told him flat out that he did not have his Lord Protector's permission to return to the Well, and like always Starscream obeyed. That was the order that he could not forgive. He was still the perfect soldier, followed orders, ensured the loyalty of the remaining Seekers, but he did not even look Megatron in the optics for centuries."

An ironic smile twisted the grey faceplates.

"How did I change that?" Jack asked in confusion.

"By the time Megatron had imprinted on you Starscream had pretty much taken over raising Pejuang. He knew she would need friends she could relate to so for her sake and yours he started speaking to Megatron again."

Jack mulled over this as they headed for the cafeteria. Here as in his verse the human allies seemed to serve as more than just fellow soldiers. They filled an empty space in the Cybertronians' spark that the destruction of their home world had left, but here it was far more pronounced. He ate the salad that the green mech who tended the hydroponics put in front of him and stared over at the rows upon rows of foliage that made up half of the large area.

Nagging at the back of his mind as he ate was something he had been observing since he got here. Megatron was getting tenser with every passing day. It would have been easy to attribute that to the growing threat of the next wave, but from conversations with the others on the ship Jack had gleaned that the ex-gladiator usually grew only concentrated as battle approached and then only when he was certain of the time. When Jack brought up the subject with Ratchet the medic only brushed him aside with the statement that he had noticed and had summoned Fowler to the ship and she should be here within a day.

O

O

"So who are we going to meet at the shuttle again?" Jack asked as he perched easily on Starscream's servos.

Once the silent mech had determined that this human was not looking to replace their own Megatronus he had warmed up to the raven haired youth. The Air Commander was still silent but he spared Jack the occasional sad smile and participated avidly in the scientific portion of getting both Jacks home. Now he held both his Found and the youth in his hands as he strode towards the massive docking bays that ringed the stern of the vessel.

"Fowler, you know, your favorite Godparent?" Pejuang muttered distractedly.

The woman was deep in a conference comm. with the other Founds planning training exercises for the following week. Something Jack had discovered he loved to watch. The Seekers in flight were truly an amazing thing when they weren't trying to kill you. He nodded in response to her words. Thundercracker had explained that the one stipulation the human government had dared make when Megatron had stated he was adopting Jack was that a set of human Godparents be appointed immediately to assure that he received proper care and socialization. The Warlord had chosen the only married human he knew and General Fowler had gladly accepted the duty. They arrived in the docking bay and The Seeker set the humans down to wait for the shuttle to unload. Jack was searching the crowd eagerly for the form of the officer when he was swept up into a matronly hug.

"Jackie Boy look at you!" the tall, broad, caramel skinned woman exclaimed as she churched him against her ample chest. "I missed you so bad! I just want to want to eat you up. Come on now. Help me with my bags and let's get talking! You know how I can't stand being still. Good to see you too Screamer! How are those new nanite fuel line cleaners treating you? Good, good. Oh Pej dear! Always working! How do you expect to keep your body healthy enough to have children if you work yourself into the ground? No Air Commander I can carry my own bags thank you very much! You Cybertronian types are not luggage racks and I will not treat you as such!"

Jack stared at the woman in bewilderment before the realization hit him.

"You must be General Fowler's wife," he gasped out.

"Well we have a sharp one here," she drawled as Pejuang snickered. "Really boy you don't know me? The war queen from the islands that captured the hot American soldier and carried him off to her hut?"

Jack flushed furiously at the image_ that_ pulled up and shook his head.

"I think Fowler's single in my verse," he hurriedly explained.

"Truly?" the woman demanded incredulously as she began steering Jack down the corridor. "How does that poor man stay healthy?"

The youth compared the images of this Fowler and his own in his mind and had to admit that the agent really didn't. His thoughts were interrupted when Pejuang leaned in and gave him a quick peck on the cheek and muttered a hasty goodbye. She then leapt easily up Starscream's frame and the mech loped swiftly down the corridor.

"Flight drill," Mrs. Fowler explained seeing the confused look on Jack's face. "The one thing the eggheads are sure of is that the Third Wave is going to come fast and hard. All the quick response teams train to deploy at a moment's notice, and the Seekers are our first line of defense."

"I kind of figured that," the youth replied absently, reaching up a hand to touch where her lips had brushed his cheek.

"Something else bothering you?" the matronly woman asked intently black eyes seeming to peer into him.

"Not bothering exactly," Jack explained, there was something about her that seemed to inspire one to confide in the woman. "It's just some things are different here. Granted I've only seen the people on the base and the _Arc_, but everyone is so touchy-feely. I mean Pejuang just kissed me goodbye, Guy stands close all the time, and even Vince will throw his arm around my shoulder if I'm close enough and standing still."

The woman snorted and shook her head at the confusion in the youth's face.

"I get it. It's still the same back in your world as it was before the war here. Well let me tell you something kid. People need touch. The way human interaction was sterilized over the nineteenth and twentieth centuries was not healthy but as long as the rest of society was doing fine the stressors that lack of touch caused could be ignored. When the war came and civilization started to crumble people had nothing to do but reach out for each other. Personal space became a thing of the past."

They were into the section of the ship dedicated to crew quarters now and Jack started when the door to Megatron's and his room opened without a pause for her.

"You have that kind of clearance?" he asked in surprise.

She shot him a smirk as she guided him to the platform.

"Kiddo, the very first time you caught a cold the Lord Protector had me up here twenty four-seven until you got better. He trusts me more than that husband of mine. The stories I could tell. Especially in here because he doesn't allow anyone, not even Soundwave, to monitor this space."

The large woman was staring at him intently when she said the last part and Jack got the distinct impression that it was supposed to mean something to him. He was about to ask what when he felt her reach out. He stiffened and glanced nervously over his shoulder. When he looked back she was sitting gracefully cross-legged on the platform with the stars shining behind her. She resembled nothing so much as a simple housewife. The youth narrowed his blue-grey eyes and tilted his head to the side. He took a deep breath and widened his awareness.

The woman's life force filled his vision and he nearly lost concentration at the difference. The raw power she radiated, the ferocity of it, was frightening. Not even Megatron gleamed so brightly. Jack shook himself and focused. The roaring furnace of energy had been tempered by motherhood he could tell; adding control, turning a forest fire into a furnace. For a moment even the cold empty void of space around him was forgotten in the wash of light. Jack walked cautiously up the steps and sat in front of her.

"War Queen," he greeted her respectfully.

"So you are not blind," she mused thoughtfully.

"Is it really safe to discuss this here?" the raven haired youth asked stiffly.

"Better here than anywhere on Earth," she replied with a shrug. "Most of the Others can't reach this far. The few that can, rarely do."

"You didn't come all the way up here just to visit," he guessed.

"You are a sharp one," she snorted. "It's a good thing Pej went tearing off too. Normally I have to pry her off of you with a crowbar. Now I need to know what you are capable of."

"Why?"

"Kid, listen up. In this verse I helped raise you along with my own boys. I trained you in those things we can't; for reasons I'm sure you know, tell our allies about, but just cuz we can't talk about them doesn't mean we don't use them to the best of our ability. Our Megatron, he was going mad when he found you. The war, losing his planet, losing his friend, they all took their toll. Imprinting on you, or your alternate actually, was what kept him from going over the brink. But one decade of healing wasn't nearly enough to make up for millennia of trouble. It didn't help when he got too nosey about the Others and found out a little too much. They played with his circuits like some shiny new toy and if our contacts in North Clan hadn't pulled him out," her voice trailed off at the thought and the woman shook her head.

Jack sorted thought the flood of information sorting it into things he needed to react to, things he could ignore, and things he could put aside for later. She was obviously expecting something from him, but he was not certain what. When the youth looked at the woman he saw a fierce swirl of maternal life-force; strong, soothing, trustworthy. He finally focused in on the one question his mind deemed important.

"What do I need to do?"


	16. Intercessions

**Prism 16**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Intercession **

"How was your visit with Mother Fowler," Megatron asked in interest as he sat down with Jack and Pejuang to eat.

"Interesting," the youth replied thoughtfully. "She asked a lot of questions about what your Jack would be facing in my world. I didn't answer them all but I think I set her mind at ease at least."

The Warlords faceplates suddenly stiffened and his gazed unfocused. Jack took this to mean he was getting a message and turned to resume the conversation he'd been having with Pejuang.

"Jackson," the unexpected question jerked the human's attention back to the mech who still had the strange far off look in his optics. "I understand that you have been cautious in revealing anything to us which might be used against your allies. I well understand why. However could I ask you one question?"

"I can say I trust you well enough now to answer it," Jack replied with a smile, enjoying sense of relief that emanated from the mech at his response.

"This Prime who now most likely holds the life of my son in his servos. What can you tell me of him?"

A smile of understanding played over the human's face at the double question. Was the Warlord's sparkling safe? How had his friend and Prime turned out after all these eons of war? Jack took a deep breath and began.

"Optimus Prime is the most noble and sincere being I have ever met," the raven haired youth hesitated and quickly bent down to take off his boots before scampering up into the Warlord's lap. "He is the very embodiment of kindness and mercy. Patience is his natural state. But he is a warrior as well, not willingly, but he is the greatest I have ever known."

The human continued his description, giving small stories to illustrate who the great mech was. All the while he focused his real attention on the task Mother Fowler had set for him. Eons of battling the Quintessons had left their mark on the spark of the warrior. After losing Optimus he had pushed away close personal contact with all other mechs. Even Ratchet, who had clung to him in grief after the passing of their friends had been slowly but surely rejected as the ex-gladiator had focused all his attentions on the enemy.

"In a way," the woman had mused. "When he arrived on Earth he was closer to the monsters he battled than any of his fellow warriors. No spirit, no spark, exists alone. It is shaped buy those that surround it. In order to protect himself and he thought to protect those around him Megatron had constructed barriers around his spark against every mech who cared for him, but those barriers had one great weakness; duty. It was duty that led him to you, only to discover that he had no barriers against a human child, and it was the brightness of your spirit that began to reform his damaged spark."

Jack smiled as he felt the mech shift under him and heard Pejuang laugh at some comment he had made. This was strange, something he had never done for Optimus, although the sensations it created were very similar to what he felt around Arcee. Instead of sending one of the weak healing bursts that was all he was capable of he simply nudged Megatron's life force with his own. As such things went it was far from intimate; the equivalent of a friendly bump to the shoulder. But over time each small touch brought the damaged spark closer to what it had once been. The raven haired youth finished his description and was gratified by the look of relief and peace that had settled on the mech's faceplates.

Starscream arrived to collect Pejuang for the night and she gave Jack a friendly punch goodbye. Megatron tenderly scooped up Jack and prepared to carry him to the hammock but the human shook his head and clung to the Warlord's servo.

"I was wondering Megatron. Would it be okay if I slept with you tonight? Like a Found?"

"Do dark dreams trouble your sleep young one?" the mech asked in concern.

"Not really," the youth replied honestly, "but dark possibilities trouble me before I drift off."

The mech nodded in understanding and paced to his own berth. With practiced ease he lay on his back gently placing Jack over his spark chamber and covering the human with a soft blanket. The youth heard the mighty internal hum of the Cybertronian systems lessen as Megatron powered down all but his processor. In the sudden quiet the human gently gave the spark another nudge, finding it far more pliant in this restful state. The thought that his counterpart here carried a lot of responsibility drifted through his mind as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

O

O

*_You are far too dependent on the boy.*_

It was not an accusation but a statement of fact, given in the cold impartial tone that set so many mechs off. The Warlord let out a tired exvent and shifted to make certain Jack was comfortable before replying.

_*He is my spark. The light that sustains me,* _Megatron replied.

It was an old argument from which any rancor or even passion had leached years ago. Shockwave knew how close their leader was to the human and he would not normally question the situation, but now there was a new factor.

_*That is not your light.*_

Megatron almost smiled at the strain obvious in the scientist's voice from using the metaphor.

_*No he is not old friend. We went over this in the security meeting. I am not granting him access to the same levels of the ship as my own son.*_

*_Security clearance is irrelevant,_* the cold voice intoned over the comm. line.

_*Then why bring it up at all?*_ the ex-gladiator was growing irritated that he could not focus on more pressing matters.

_*The topic of discussion is your dependence on the human.*_

_*What about it?* _Megatron growled over the comm. adding glyphs to indicate his status over the other mech in an unusual show of dominance.

_*The human's presence has been vital to your health. Before you imprinted I calculated the probability of your imminent deactivation to be over eighty-seven point three five percent. Association with your human sparkling decreased that at a near linear rate. Isolation from human sparkling renews risk.*_

The Warlord fought back the urge to groan in frustration.

_*What are you getting at Shockwave?*_

_*Assessment of the portal to return Jackson Darby is complete. Preliminary testing indicates greater than seventy-five percent chance of success in returning him to his home deminsion.*_

Megatron felt a strange double thrill of hope and distress at the thought of regaining his son and losing this other.

_*That is excellent news!* he _declared over the comm. _*I will inform Pejuang that we may resume our usual competition for Megatronus's affections very soon.*_

_*Negative.*_

_*What?*_

_*Assessment indicates we will be able to send this Jackson to his dimension of origin. The process is however unable to retrieve anything. Megatronous's return must be initiated from the other side.*_

Megatron's spark froze. He felt the human on his chest shift and begin to come awake but murmured soothingly to him.

*_The situation is understood?_* Shockwave asked.

The situation, Megatron mused. It was now within his power to send this human home. If anything of the Optimus Prime he once knew and loved existed in this counterpart that Jackson spoke so glowingly of then he was no doubt attempting to get young Megatronus home as well. However this other dimension had limited technological abilities, few resources. The Warlord didn't need Shockwave to run the numbers to see that it was likely his sparkling could be stuck permanently on the other side of the portal. If, when he sent this other back he would be alone again. The Warlord was so deep in thought that he almost didn't notice when Shockwave began speaking again.

_*The presence and fitness of Warlord Megatron is essential to the continued freedom and life of Cybertronians and humans alike. The Warlord's health is dependent on the presence of the human Jackson. Importance of Jackson's presence in alternate universe of lesser magnitude. Return of current Jackson risky. Return of Jackson Megatronus unsure. Logical course of action, retain current Jackson Darby in this dimension until Megatronus is returned.* _


	17. Decisions

**Prism 17**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

**Decisions **

"So there's still a chance that you could be able to retake Cybertron?" Jack asked curiously as he perched on Megatron's shoulder.

The Warlord had been strangely distant all day but seemed reluctant to let the human out of his sight.

"Indeed, the automated defenses over Kaon have kept the invaders out of that last hold. That is where we would begin. The Quintessons were far more focused on keeping Iacon with all of its history."

"To bad for them they don't know what's under Kaon," Jack laughed.

"What is under Kaon?" Megatron asked absently.

He felt the youth stiffen on his shoulder and glanced sharply at Jackson's face.

"What is under Kaon?" the Warlord demanded more intensely.

He could see the struggle going on in the blue-grey eyes. The human wanted to trust him but was fighting to overcome the image of the other Megatron. Finally Jack took a deep breath and looked deep into the ruby red optics.

"What do you know of Vector Sigma?"

This time Megatron stiffened.

"The last remaining untainted manifestation of Primus," the mech growled. "The core of Cybertron is befouled with dark energon, our Prime offline, the Matrix destroyed by the Quintessons, only the great Vector Sigma remains pure and it was lost to us when the counsel perished attempting to reach Kaon. Do not tell me that the last great hope for contacting our creator lay beneath my peds the entire course of the invasion!"

The look on Jack's face was confirmation enough and the mech broke out into a dry barking laugh.

"Primus has a twisted sense of humor," Megatron snarled. "No wonder Ultra Magnus was so willing to relocate the senate. Now tell me boy, how did you come into this knowledge?"

Jack cautiously launched into the story of how Optimus had spent the Matrix to quell Unicron. He glossed over the role his own Megatron had played in the battles but could tell from the dark looks that passed through the ruby optics that the Warlord guessed much. When he got to the part about Optimus lying to him about the function of the key the mech snorted and interrupted.

"I do not question your veracity, but the Optimus Prime I knew had no ability to bend the truth."

"Oh he was pretty obvious about it in hind sight," Jack admitted. "He wouldn't even look me in the eyes. I'm just that gullible. Anyway when Arcee and I got to Cybertron the key led us with a beam of light."

The rest of the story took little time to tell and Megatron listened thoughtfully. When Jack was done he asked just one question.

"When you returned the Matrix to Optimus, what did you feel?"

"I can't really say. That was before I learned about my other abilities," the human admitted, "I just felt great relief that I wasn't carrying the key anymore."

"Indeed," the Warlord murmured thoughtfully.

O

O

"How does the work progress on returning Jackson to his own reality?" Megatron inquired of the Cybertronian sized microscope sitting on the workbench.

The leader of the Allies had left Jack in the care of the Seekers. Or rather the youth had been abducted by the Founds on their way to a training exercise.

"Most excellently I am pleased to report," Preceptor replied. "We have isolated the subspace variance unique to this Jack's matter and our sensors simply scanned the inter-atomic structure until we found a greater than ninety-nine point nine nine nine nine, percent match. Fortunately each reality seems to be bracketed by chaotic energy fields that make them distinguishable at that resolution. My personal theory is that these are caused by failed universes where-"

Megatron let his attention shift away from the scientist, leaving a small portion of his processor to answer the questions the red and white Cybertronian peppered his monologue with. The Warlord's awareness focused on the bond that had been a part of him for such a relatively short time by the accounts of his people. No, that was wrong, he thought with a frown. The moment he had accepted the link to Jackson he had adopted the entire human race. They were his people now as much as his brothers of metal and mesh. The bond itself was a strong, as steady, as ever, but he could not feel the light source on the other end; only the glow that was both a stranger and all too familiar. He sent a wave of affection over the bond and felt the tentative but sincere response.

What would he have left if he let this Jackson Darby return? The very thought made him stiffen and reach out possessively for his son, only for his awareness to grasp at nothing. The bond stretched through the human youth not to him, giving the Warlord a cold foretaste of one possible future. This was not his sparkling. He could not fill the yawning void that war had left in his spark. Deep to his core the black mech knew this. He needed his own son back.

Consequences. The Cybertronian tried to force the word back to his sub-processors where it had originated but he couldn't. His conscience was speaking to him in the soft but instant voice of Orion Pax. There would be consequences for keeping the youth. First and foremost would be the betrayal of Jackson's trust. He had given his word to the human that he would be sent home as soon as possible. How could he betray the one he loved more than any other?

But what of his vows to this world, another voice whispered, a voice he had not heard in some time. What was a promise to one being compared to his greater duty? Optimus already had one Jackson. What was so wrong with keeping this one? The ex-archivist might want his human back but Megatron needed him.

The dark mech shook his helm in frustration trying to dislodge the voices. They had become more subdued over his years on earth, more easily recognizable as merely the expressions of his own conflicted nature. Without his light however they would creep back. He roughly pushed them to the back of his processor and tried to look at the situation logically. There was a kind of cold wisdom in Shockwave's words; made all the more attractive because it was what the selfish part of the Warlord wanted as well. They did not even know if his own Jack had made it to the same dimension that this one had come from. Keep, this Jackson, just until they knew for certain that the other would return.

But how could he take that freedom away from the human? He; who had taken up the fallen banner of freedom for all sentient beings from the offline hands of his Prime so long ago. Offer him the choice. The other voice whispered. Explain the situation to him, let the youth choose. But that would be as much as forcing him to stay, Orion's gentle tones pointed out. If he thought your life was in danger Jackson, any Jackson, would far rather sacrifice his own desires to protect you, and you do not know that you are dependant any more on his strength. Optimus has enough, whispered the other, older voice, he will not mind if you take this from him.

Megatron stiffened at that and shuttered his optics rapidly. He roughly shook his helm and gave a growl. That last was an argument he was all too familiar with. It was how he had justified lingering over the battle at Polyhelix while his brother had fallen defending Kaon. Preceptor faltered in his speech for a moment but the Warlord waved him on. The long and short of it was that the machine was ready to go. They only waited for Megatron's decision.

O

O

"Ow!" Jack yelped clutching his shoulder painfully. "What was that for?"

"For not being my Jack!" Pejuang snarled at him cocking her fist back for another blow. "You just stand there looking so dang kissable, and I got the need for some loving, but I can't take it out on you! What?"

The woman squirmed as the tall powerful form of Guy stepped up behind her and bodily lifted the girl from the ground while the sound of Vince's laughter provided background noise.

"Easy there mate," he chuckled in amusement, "not his fault."

"I didn't say it was," she snapped, "he just makes an easy target because he doesn't fight back!"

"First," a deep voice interrupted the exchange and the tall black man dropped the slim Asian to turn and salute their leader.

"Here Lord Protector," the playful nature of the child was gone, suddenly replaced by the powerful warrior that was her namesake.

"Come," was all Megatron said as he knelt and Jack climbed into his hand.

Pejuang scampered up the mech's legs as he started to move ignoring the curious stares of the Seekers and their Founds. The mech led them deep into the ship and paused before the door of the research area. His powerful servos suddenly tightened and closed around Jack and for a moment the human felt a surge of panic, as if he were looking out through the bars of a cage. The great black servos seemed to flex and relax repeatedly several times and Jack glanced up at the faceplates in confusion. He could see the conflicting emotions flickering across the stoic features. Some internal battle was being waged. Gently the human reached out and nudged at the ancient life force.

Megatron felt the tender touch and glanced down at the human's upturned face. Those blue eyes stared up at him filled with trust and faith and the Warlord felt his spark clench. For a moment he did not see Jack, he did not see Optimus Prime, but a young archivist; hungry for change, wanting nothing but to make the world a better place for every mech and femme on their planet. Blue optics full of trust; something snapped within the great spark. Decision made he reached down and touched his fore-helm tenderly to the human.

"If I cannot have my Orion," the great mech murmured so low Jack almost missed it, "then at least he shall have you. I will not make the same error twice."

With that the mech set the human down and opened the door. On the other side a green portal swirled under the watchful gaze of Preceptor and Ratchet. Jack looked up at Megatron with hope burning in his gaze and the Warlord nodded towards the bridge.

"It is time to go home Jackson Darby. We cannot hold the portal open long."

"Thank you," was all that the human could express of the emotions swirling around inside of him. "Thank you, and Pejuang? Tell everyone goodbye for me?"

"Will do Jack!" she called out, eyes glittering with unshed tears. "And if you see my man tell him I'm gonna jump him when he gets back!"

"Will do," Jack replied with a grin. "And Megatron? These weeks have been, different, but good, very good."

The Warlord only nodded as Jack turned and jogged into the portal. The mech was vaguely aware of Preceptor droning on about the progress of the transit and felt a surge of relief through the haze when the scientist declared that the youth had been safely transported home. A sudden assault at his heels drew the mech out of his introspection and he knelt to examine the suddenly shrieking Pejuang.

"You sparkles son of a glitch! How could you just let his go like that? My Jack, my-"

Megatron gave a tired exvent and tenderly scooped the girl up to his chestplates where she continued her rant, releasing all the emotions that she had carefully kept hidden from the innocent Jack. The Warlord gently held her until she stopped berating him and collapsed into a heap in his hands.

"We still have each other," he offered awkwardly, feeling that it would be appropriate to say something.

The dark look she shot at him through black bangs would have peeled the outer armor off of the _Arc_. The words she flung at him would have helped the process along. The Warlord snorted and lightly tossed her onto his shoulder.

"I am serious Pejuang. I will require assistance if I am to maintain my health without Megatronus here."

"Whatever," the woman muttered curling close and snuggling into the cables on his neck.

"You, my dear, are a mess of emotional contradiction and I do not know why my son tolerates it," the mech growled reaching up to stroke her back.

"Cuz I am hotter than a cast iron skillet!" she replied wondering why Megatron's spark pulse had suddenly skyrocketed.

"I assume he has more depth than-"

The retort was cut off by a cacophony of noise from the room they had just left. The lights on the _Arc_ dimmed and flickered and Preceptor could be heard shouting from the other side of the doorway. Emotional disagreements immediately forgotten Megatron spun around and Pejuang leapt down to dart along beside him as the mech forced the malfunctioning door open and strode through. She heard him demand a status report but was distracted by a figure crouched on the floor.

"What went wrong? Are you okay Jack?"

Her questions were both cut off and answered when the form rose unsteadily to his feet and charged her. Too tall, too fast, too aggressive to be Jack, her mind supplied before all reasonable thought was shut down when powerful arms encircled her and a pair of searching lips found hers.

Megatron stared down at the couple with a pleased look on his faceplates that hardly reflected the pure joy singing through his spark. He waited as patiently as he could for the humans to separate but finally scooped both up with a shrug and headed for the medical bay following an agitated Ratchet. When they reached the medic's realm the red and white Cybertronian simply separated the young lovers by force, giving Pejuang to Megatron to restrain while he scanned Jackson.

"Hey Dad," the youth called out cheerfully panting and sending a near overwhelming wave of love and reassurance over the bond. "Bout time you sent for me!"

The great mech shuttered his optics and responded in kind. He felt his sparkling accept the feelings but there was a touch of confusion intermixed with the general sensation.

*_What gives?_* Jack asked over the comm. "_You'd think I'd been gone for months or something.*_

*_You have been gone for months_!* Pejuang sent back along with glyphs for frustration, welcome, and relief.

_*No way! I was there for three days max!* ~confusion~._

*_Check the date my son,*_ Megatron interjected before the two could start up one of their near legendary spectacular fights. _*You have indeed been gone many weeks from our universe.*_

*_Whoa, you're right! There must have been some sort of time dilation. The other Ratchet mentioned something about that. So that's why you sent for me so soon.*_

_*What do you mean sent for you?* _Megatron inquired.

_*The Autobots, they didn't have the tech to recreate the tri-point groundbridge so they had to wait for you to send their Jack back so they could piggyback me on the signal.*_

Megatron shuttered his optics rapidly and let out a dry laugh.

*_What_?* Jack asked a bit distractedly as the young woman was attempting to draw his attention away.

"Just thinking on the consequences of choices," Megatron replied softly.

"Please remain still while I complete the scans," the medic suddenly growled, pushing at the raven haired youth with one servo. "And Pejuang, please stop that."

"Stop what?" the woman asked with an innocent pout.

The medic just glared at her.

"Whatever you are doing to stimulate Jack. I am trying to get a base heart rate and you are not helping."

Jackson burst out laughing and shook his head.

"No good there Doc. As long as I'm thinking about her my heart rate's going to be up."

Ratchet just grunted and kept at his examination. Megatron smiled at the interaction, grateful beyond words that his sparkling was safely back with him. The mech sent a prayer of thanks to Primus and settled in to watch the two humans interact. He had many questions; what of this Prime, how had his son been treated, but for now he was content to simply know that all was right with his family.


	18. Epilogue

**Prism Epilogue**

**A Transformers Prime Fanfiction**

"Megatron, I cannot condone this," Ratchet gasped out his blue optics wide with confusion and anger. "I care not what that other youth told you. That was his universe not ours. How you could even consider this… He is your son! Your sparkling!"

"Jackson has not been a sparkling for many years," the larger black mech murmured as he stared out the wide portal at the stars.

The room they were in on the _Arc_ had once been a cargo bay but a stray shot from a mercenary enemy had effectively welded the outer airlock shut. The space had been used for storage until they had arrived in Earth's orbit. When their human allies had requested a place to grow their crops and the old bay had been offered. Now it rustled with life even in the dark night cycle. Grasses, herbs, and trees grew up from the deck, climbed the walls and even clung to the ceiling. It had become a favorite meeting place for the two old friends when they needed a location that did not remind them of all they had left behind on Cybertron. But even the peace of the life surrounding them could not ease the tension.

"That is utterly beside the point!" the medic snarled cutting the air in front of him with a hand as if trying to shove aside the suggestion. "No human, no sentient being should have to endure what you are suggesting. Do you not remember what happened to Orion? How he changed?"

With a snarl of rage the larger mech spun on Ratchet.

"Do not presume old one! I can never forget that. Or do you forget that it was I who stood beside our friend when he accepted the duty from Primus; that I too received the burden of such a task."

"I am sorry Megatron," Ratchet murmured optics falling but hands remaining clenched. "But what you suggest…It is unthinkable, for so many different reasons. He, he is human!"

"I am aware of that," the Warlord sighed.

"He is so young," there was agony in the medic's voice now.

"He is my son," Megatron replied, and Ratchet fell silent, the pain and reluctance he heard in that voice was far deeper than any that he felt he realized with a pang.

"Then why?" the healer demanded.

The larger mech lifted up the item he held in his servos so it caught the dim starlight. The silver and turquoise device seemed to glow with an inner light of its own and even the war hardened medic couldn't help drawing in a sharp gust of air at its beauty.

"This is a key Ratchet; nothing more, nothing less. It could never contain what is the Matrix. The life force of Primus must have a living host. This much I know from my time in Cybertron's core. You were there when Optimus fell old friend. Tell me again what were his words and actions?"

"He handed me the key to Vector Sigma," the red and white Cybertronian murmured softly. "He told me to make sure it reached you but that you were not the one to carry it. You were to await another. One worthy to bear it until it would be claimed by the one who will preserve it until it is time to surrender it to the one who will light our darkest hour. By Primus, Jackson."

"I can see it in his eyes Ratchet," the larger mech whispered agony lacing his voice. "He has the strength to bear this burden. Do not misunderstand me. Were it at all possible I would take this task from my beloved son. But I cannot. We dare not hesitate."

"But Megatron; our soldiers will never accept a human Prime," Ratchet interjected.

"Perhaps not, but he will be a Matrix Bearer, not a Prime, until the one Optimus foretold comes."

"All of the risk, none of the reward," Ratchet muttered bitterly. "How long?" He demanded harshly. "How long are you asking him to bear this load?"

"My ignorance far outweighs my knowledge old friend," Megatron replied tiredly. "And were there any other way to preserve our race I would take it. All I can do now is offer my son this choice and be there to protect him when he accepts the burden to bear until the matrix will light our darkest hour."

Nodding in reluctant acceptance the medic turned to leave.

"I will prepare the space bridge to transport you both to Cybertron my Lord Protector Megatron."


End file.
